California WIC Association Updates

Laurie True provides this update from the California WIC Association:

State Bills and Issues

FOOD PACKAGE CHANGES: California WIC providers are extremely busy preparing for the transformative changes to the foods we offer 1.5 million participants. CWA has been partnering with key WIC stakeholder to host a series of Web Forums describing the changes to the WIC food packages and exploring ways to support and partner with local WIC programs to maximize the health benefits of these historic reforms. Each Web Forum is tailored to the interests and needs of particular WIC partners, and our website provides resources and presentations from past calls. The May 27^th webinar will feature Grocery and Farmers’ Market Partnerships.

SB 257 (Pavely): This CWA-sponsored bill would require every state agency and department to notify female employees nearing maternity leave of the existing lactation accommodation law. The bill is a direct result of interest sparked among legislative staff who attended the Working Families Summit and read our new Policy Brief on low-wage worksite breastfeeding accommodation. This bill has cleared both Senate Governmental Organization Committee and Appropriations Committee, next stop the Senate Floor. For more info, including a list of other bills that CWA is supporting, go here.

AB 513 (De Leon): This other CWA-sponsored bill passed its first hearing, in Assembly Health Committee, on April 28, next stop Assembly Appropriations. This bill mandates that health care service plans and insurers, including HMOs and Medi-Cal Managed Care, include coverage for lactation counseling and for the rental of breast pumps as part of their contracts and policies. The bill is a direct result of interest sparked among legislative staff who attended a session at the Working Families Summit and was inspired. More information and sample letters on the CWA website.

NO ON 1D. The CWA Board of Directors voted unanimously to oppose Proposition 1D, a ballot measure which would gut state and local First Five Commission budgets for five years. The measure will appear on the May 19th Special Election ballot The CA Budget Project has analyzed the measure; keep track of the campaign to defeat it.

Federal Policy Issues

STIMULUS BILL: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s most important nutrition provision will provide an immediate $20 billion to boost SNAP (food stamp) benefits by April 1 - this will help millions of WIC families who also rely on SNAP to make ends meet. WIC funding was also included: $400 million placed in a “reserve” food fund to enable states to meet the rising need, and $100 million to fund “wrench-ready” WIC automation projects. California WIC plans to apply for the ARRA automation funds so that WIC can begin the transition to EBT.

WIC REAUTHORIZATION: Congress will reauthorize WIC and other child nutrition programs this year. Wondering what the key issues are for WIC Reauthorization? CWA held a California WIC Briefing on Capitol Hill in March — our top Reauthorization priorities and several policy briefs are now available on line, here.