News Photo by Kayla Wikaryasz On Tuesday, a merchandiser places soda on shelves at Walmart in Alpena. A bill in the Michigan House of Representatives is aiming to remove soda from SNAP-eligible items.

ALPENA — A current bill in the Michigan House of Representatives is aiming to prohibit the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase soda.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), SNAP is a federal program available to low-income individuals and families. This program is used to purchase specific food items at the store, such as meat, vegetables, and pantry items.

In a USDA press release on April 4, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins are committed to carrying out President Donald Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.

“Secretary Rollins and I are committed to working together to fulfill President Trump’s mandate to Make America Healthy Again,” Kennedy said in the USDA press release. “…I urge every governor to champion legislation that bans ultra-processed foods and dyes in public schools, and submit a waiver to the USDA to remove soda from SNAP.”

This statement is made on the heels of House Bill No. 4305 to prohibit the purchase of soda, which will amend the Act 280 of 1939, also titled “The Social Welfare Act.”

According to the Social Welfare Act, its function is to protect the welfare of people in Michigan by providing services such as healthcare, protection, and general assistance to “poor or unfortunate persons,” the elderly, children, and others.

House Bill No. 4305 states that once and if the bill is enacted, the state government will petition for a waiver from the federal government to prohibit the use of SNAP benefits to purchase soda.

According to the proposed bill, the House of Representatives defines “soda” as follows:

“… any nonalcoholic beverage that contains natural or artificial sweeteners. Soda does not include a beverage that contains milk or milk substitutes or is greater than 50% vegetable juice or fruit juice by volume.”

Further, under the current SNAP benefits outlined by the USDA, SNAP may be used to purchase the following:

— Fruits and vegetables;

— Meat, poultry, and fish;

— Dairy products;

— Breads and cereals;

— Snack foods and nonalcoholic beverages;

— Seeds and plants to produce food for the household.

According to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), states may request waivers to modify their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system and to provide flexibility for retailers to serve SNAP customers. FNS also states that waivers are approved when approval will result in more effective use of the SNAP program.

The House bill states that if a waiver is not approved when the act is amended, the state will resubmit a waiver annually until it is approved.

House Bill No. 4305 is likely informed by encouragement from the federal government, and one of the bill’s sponsors, State Rep. Cam Cavitt, R-Cheboygan, outlined the intended goals of SNAP.

“SNAP is a program designed to help people in need provide nutritional meals for their families,” Cavitt said. “Sometimes I think folks confuse their lists of things they want and the list of things they need. Drinking a soda definitely falls in the want category and should not be funded by SNAP.”

House Bill No. 4305 has been referred to the House of Representatives Health Policy Committee. If the bill passes the House of Representatives, it will then be turned over to the Senate for a vote. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate must pass the bill to enact the amendment.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.