A KEY US state is one step closer to restricting shoppers from purchasing popular sugary snacks and sodas, recently receiving a key green light to push a new bill to the next step.
As Texas moves the bill forward, aimed at banning junk food purchases, millions of low-income residents are at risk of seeing new limitations on their grocery store runs.
Sugary treats and drinks are at risk of being banned for certain shoppers in Texas[/caption]
A new bill is making its way through the Texas Legislature, aimed at encouraging healthier food choices.
Texas Senate Bill 379, championed by State Senator Mayes Middleton, calls for restrictions on SNAP benefits, barring the payments from being used on certain items classified as junk food.
The proposal to ban low-income families from spending their federal benefits on sugary drinks and candy has been passed in both the Senate and the House, and is currently awaiting Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s signature.
The bill is expected to be signed by the governor, especially after he sent a letter to Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins last month seeking a USDA waiver.
Should Texas Senate Bill 379 be signed by Abbott and be approved via a USDA waiver, it would prohibit sodas and candy from being bought using food stamps.
The bill originally encompassed a greater number of products – including pre-packaged candy, chips, and cookies – but was narrowed to speed up the enforcement process.
The banned sweetened drinks would include any non-alcoholic beverages made with water that have five or more grams of added sugar or any amount of artificial sweeteners.
While fruit juices and milk-based drinks will not be included, SNAP recipients would no longer be able to use food stamps on popular beverages like sodas and energy drinks.
If passed, the bill would impact millions of cash-strapped Texans under State Senator Mayes Middleton‘s effort to revert SNAP to its intended purpose – giving Americans the financial means to purchase nutritious food.
“Taxpayer-funded junk food turns into taxpayer-funded health care,” Middleton told the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
COUNT YOUR CALORIES
Texas Senate Bill 379 aligns with broader national trends to redefine the role of federal assistance in Americans’ eating habits.
Earlier this year, the USDA secretary encouraged states to submit waivers to the agency requesting permission to ban SNAP spending on non-nutritious foods.
Many states have since taken strides to encourage healthier eating among their residents, including Arkansas, Idaho, and Utah.
On Tuesday, Rollins signed waivers for the three states to permit them to restrict food stamps from being used on junk foods such as soda and candy.
What are SNAP benefits?
Over 41 million people in America receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits each month.
SNAP provides food benefits to low-income households to help people get groceries.
Recipients get money on a debit card that can be used at grocery stores and farmers markets.
The amount of money distributed depends on several factors including how much money you make, how much money you receive from other benefits, and how many people are in your household.
The electronic benefits can help people buy food including food and vegetables, meat, fish, dairy products, breads, cereals, and snacks.
You can’t use SNAP to buy alcohol, cigarettes, hot foods, or cooking utensils.
Source: USDA
These states are the latest in the lineup to have obtained waivers from the USDA, with Nebraska, Indiana, and Iowa previously receiving the green light from the department.
During a Make America Healthy Again event at the White House in May, Rollins shared that multiple states were in the process of obtaining waivers.
Texas, Colorado, Kansas, West Virginia, Ohio, Florida, and Louisiana are all going through the motions to get their waivers approved.
“Since my confirmation, [the USDA] has encouraged states to think differently and creatively about how to solve the many health issues facing Americans,” the secretary said at a press conference revealing the most recent waivers on Tuesday.
“One way is disallowing taxpayer-funded benefits to purchase unhealthy items, like soda, candy and other junk food.”
Texas is the largest state yet to pursue SNAP reforms, with 3.5 million food stamp beneficiaries receiving $616 million in April alone.
Should Senate Bill 379 pass all the necessary requirements, the law would take effect on September 1, 2025.
Shoppers in another state are running out of time to buy two popular grocery store items under the new ban.
Meanwhile, SNAP recipients are being warned as $600,000 in benefits was yanked from recipients – “razor-thin” devices claimed months of food stamps.
If Texas Senate Bill 379 passes, it will ban SNAP spending on candy and sweetened beverages like soda[/caption]
