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Sponsor seeks federal waiver to bar SNAP purchases of soft drinks and candy; industry and food-security groups oppose
Summary
Senate Bill 354, introduced by Senator Daniel Zolnikov, would seek a federal waiver allowing Montana to bar SNAP benefits from purchasing soft drinks and candy; advocates framed the move as a public-health intervention, while retailers and food-security groups warned of administrative complexity and potential harm to SNAP recipients.
Senate Bill 354, introduced by Senator Daniel Zolnikov, would request a U.S. Department of Agriculture waiver allowing Montana to prohibit the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase soft drinks and candy.
Sponsor argument: Senator Zolnikov told the committee that roughly 20% of SNAP purchases nationwide go to sweetened drinks and snack foods and framed the waiver as a way to redirect benefit dollars toward more nutritious food. He argued the change would protect public health — citing links between sugary beverages and obesity, diabetes and dental disease — and said existing federal…
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