- Taylor Woolfork
- Chief of Staff
- (916) 319-2011
- Taylor.Woolfork@asm.ca.gov
SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson (D–Suisun City) announced the passage of her Assembly Bill 228, relating to the infant formula shortage. AB 228 would require the California Department of Public Health to implement a program that creates a strategic stockpile of baby formula that could be tapped to ease future shortages.
In 2022, the United States experienced a severe shortage of infant formula as a result of the 2021-2022 global supply chain crisis compounded by a large scale product recall. The import restrictions and market concentration also exasperated this issue. As a result, many California parents were met with the unimaginable plight of not having enough food for their babies. Unlike other food products, infant formula often does not have an available and acceptable substitute as a source of nutrition for those who rely on it.
“The pressure and anxiety facing parents of young children during this crisis is unimaginable,” said Assemblywoman Wilson. “California is well-positioned to be a national leader on this issue by creating our country’s first infant formula stockpile which will serve our state’s residents during this and future crises.”
“Going from one grocery store to another and seeing empty shelf after empty shelf while recovering from a C-Section creates stress, anxiety and is an extremely frustrating and scary experience,” said Evelyn Sarkis, a mother impacted by the formula crisis who testified in support of AB 228. “Mothers such as myself were forced to scour stores from surrounding cities, find online support groups and exchanges and rely on family members to do the same.”
The bill passed the Assembly Health Committee on Tuesday with a unanimous 14-0 vote. The bill now heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
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