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Debate erupts over bill asking Idaho to seek federal waiver to bar soda and candy from SNAP
Summary
Sponsor Rep. Jordan Redmond proposed HB 109 directing Idaho to seek a USDA waiver to prohibit SNAP purchases of soda and candy; the committee heard lengthy testimony for and against, and ultimately set the bill to return to the committee at a time certain for further work and possible amendment.
Representative Jordan Redmond, R‑District 3, presented House Bill 109, which would direct the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to request a USDA waiver to prohibit purchases of soda and candy with SNAP (food‑stamp) benefits. Redmond framed the bill as a public‑health measure, saying SNAP should align with WIC’s existing nutritional restrictions.
“This is about health. This is not a punishment. Better choices mean better lives,” Redmond told the committee, describing WIC’s targeting of healthier foods as a model and citing data he said show SNAP participants consume more sugar‑sweetened beverages and have poorer diet quality than non‑participants with similar incomes.
The committee heard more than an hour of public testimony and back‑and‑forth questioning. Supporters, including Paige Terryberry (FGA…
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