The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion to protect privacy rights of food assistance recipients and pursue legal action against a federal mandate requiring states to turn over sensitive applicant data.
The motion, authored by Chair Pro Tem Hilda L. Solis, responds to a July 2025 request from the U.S. Department of Agriculture demanding five years of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program applicant information, including names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, addresses and shopping histories.
The USDA suggested that states failing to comply could lose federal funding for the program, creating what officials called an impossible choice between providing nutrition assistance and protecting resident privacy…