Louisiana seeks waiver to ban candy, soft drinks purchases with SNAP benefits
Louisiana will seek a waiver from the federal government to prohibit the purchase of soft drinks and candy with federal food assistance.
Gov. Jeff Landry announced his intentions Thursday in an executive order he touted in a video posted on social media.
'The Make America Healthy Again movement is not one of words, but of action!' Landry posted. 'That is why today I signed an Executive Order banning soda and candy purchases from Louisiana's food stamp program.'
Landry's executive order doesn't actually prohibit these purchases, as he does not have that authority. The order instructs the state's Department of Children and Family Services, which oversees the state's implementation of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), to seek a waiver to do so from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the program.
Landry's executive order does not define either soft drinks or candy.
The governor also urged the Legislature to approve Senate Bill 14 by Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington, a sweeping piece of nutrition legislation that, among other things, seeks a USDA waiver to prohibit the purchase of beverages with more than 5 grams of added sugar or any artificial sweetener. Drinks that include milk or milk substitutes would be exempt from this prohibition.
When McMath presented his bill to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee this week, he said he specifically decided not to seek prohibition of candy purchases with SNAP benefits. Many Louisiana residents live in food deserts, and McMath said he did not want to prevent people who might only be able to shop at convenience stores from eating.
Landry's order also instructs DCFS to find ways to incentivize SNAP recipients to buy produce, such as participating in the Double Up Food Bucks program. The program provides matching aid dollars for fruit and vegetable purchases in more than two dozen states.
The order sets an Oct. 1 deadline for DCFS to submit its waiver application to the Trump administration.
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