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Bill to bar SNAP purchases of soda, candy and chips draws partisan testimony and divided advocacy; committee left measure pending
Summary
Senate Bill 379 would bar use of SNAP for sugar‑sweetened beverages, energy drinks, candy, cookies and potato or corn chips; proponents framed the bill as aligning SNAP with nutrition goals while opponents warned of access, administrative and implementation risks in rural areas.
Senate Bill 379 would prohibit the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase certain items: sugar‑sweetened beverages, energy drinks, candy, cookies and potato or corn chips. The Health and Human Services Committee left the bill pending for further work and public testimony.
Senator Middleton, the bill’s sponsor, argued the bill aligns SNAP with its stated USDA purpose — to provide nutritious food essential to health and well‑being — and pointed to data showing sugary drinks are a large share of SNAP purchases. “Taxpayer‑funded junk food turns into…
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