Alabama has passed a law that moves the state toward restricting the purchase of candy and soda under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), pending federal approval.
Why It Matters
SNAP is a federal program that provides low-income individuals and families with funds to purchase food. Alabama lawmakers argued that restricting the purchase of high-sugar items under the program would improve public health.
Critics of the legislation argue that the policy is unlikely to significantly improve health outcomes and instead places additional restrictions on low-income households, who often opt to purchase more calorie dense foods on SNAP as they are cheaper than healthier alternatives.
What To Know
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed SB57 into law on Wednesday, which requires the state to seek a federal waiver to exclude candy and soda from being eligible to purchase on SNAP.
If approved by the Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, the changes will affect around 750,000 Alabamians on the program and would be in effect from October 1…