18995.1. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 596, Sec. 2.)

(a) (1) Subject to an appropriation for this purpose, the State Department of Social Services shall administer the State Emergency Food Bank Reserve Program to provide food, children’s diapers, wipes, and funding for the provision of emergency food, children’s diapers, wipes, and related costs to food banks serving low-income Californians to prevent hunger during natural or human-made disasters.

(2) For purposes of this chapter, “food banks” means participating providers operating in California under the federal Emergency Food Assistance Program (Parts 250 and 251 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations), or the federal Commodity Supplemental Food Program (Parts 247 and 250 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations), members of the nonprofit organization Feeding America that are based in California, and members of the California Association of Food Banks.

(b) Upon a proclamation or declaration of a disaster or state of emergency by the governing body of a county, city, or city and county, or by an official designated by ordinance adopted by that governing body, the state, or the federal government, the department may distribute funds for the purposes set forth in subdivision (c). The department shall determine the best method for distribution to ensure that the funds are used for the purposes specified in this chapter.

(c) Funds distributed pursuant to this chapter may be used for all of the following purposes:

(1) To purchase and distribute food in eligible communities.

(2) To reimburse food banks for food and the costs associated with the procurement and distribution of food in eligible communities.

(3) To purchase and distribute children’s diapers and wipes in eligible communities.

(4) To reimburse food banks for children’s diapers and wipes and the costs associated with the procurement and distribution of children’s diapers and wipes in eligible communities.

(d) Notwithstanding any other law, agreements awarded pursuant to this section shall be exempt from the requirements of Article 4 (commencing with Section 19130) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the Public Contract Code, and the State Contracting Manual, and shall not be subject to the approval of the Department of General Services.

(e) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the State Department of Social Services may implement, interpret, or make specific this chapter by means of letter or similar instructions without taking any regulatory action.