The California Assembly and Senate have passed AB-2178, which would impose new restrictions on individuals and community groups like Food Not Bombs that share free meals. If the bill becomes law, these groups would have to pay to register with local authorities in order to continue to provide mutual aid by sharing free food that would otherwise be discarded. In general, Food Not Bombs and similar groups are entirely volunteer with little to no budgets.
Volunteer groups feeding the poor and homeless pose little food safety risk. These grassroots groups have operated for decades and follow strong private food safety practices. They fill a critical gap that the state itself struggles to address.
More: California Bill Threatens to Restrict Sharing Free Food with the Poor from Indybay
California Bill Threatens to Restrict Sharing Free Food with the Poor