Lawmakers in Texas are considering new legislation that would ban people on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) from using their food stamps to buy junk food.
The bill seeks to add restrictions on SNAP so the benefits cannot be used to purchase items such as soda, energy drinks, candy, chips, and cookies.
Senate Bill 379 would ensure that recipients of SNAP funds, formerly known as food stamps, can only purchase nutritional groceries.
The bill was authored by Republican State Senator Mayes Middleton.
Middelton said he filed the legislation to return to SNAP’s original intent of focusing on nutritional food essential to health and well-being.
Similar bills with bipartisan support have been introduced in the Texas House.
H.B. 3188 was proposed by Democrat Rep. Richard Raymond, and H.B. 4970 was introduced by GOP Rep. Briscoe Cain.
The federal government, which provides all the taxpayer funding for SNAP, currently allows the program to be used for most food items.
Currently, it only excludes alcohol, tobacco, and hot prepared meals such as fast food.
Texas Republicans say S.B. 379 seeks to remove food and drinks with little nutritional value from the government assistance program.
“The [U.S. Department of Agriculture’s] stated purpose