Texas Senate Passes Bill to Ban Candy, Soda From Food Stamp Program

 

AUSTIN, TX — On Monday, the Texas Senate approved Senate Bill 379, which would prohibit Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients from using their benefits to purchase “junk food.”

Currently, there are no restrictions on purchases with the food stamp card.

The new legislation would prevent the purchase of soda, candy, chips, cookies and other highly processed foods with little to no nutritional value.

If passed by the House and signed into law, the restrictions would take effect in September 2025.

The bill aims to align SNAP purchases with the program’s original intent of providing nutritious food to low-income individuals and families.

An advocacy group called Make Texans Healthy Again praised the move.

“Health isn’t just about what we eat—it’s about what we don’t eat,” MHTA founder Travis McCormick said in a statement. “This bill aligns SNAP purchases with basic nutrition standards and helps protect our most vulnerable Texans from being trapped in a cycle of poor health and rising healthcare costs.”

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