FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) – A proposal that would ban most junk food from being SNAP-eligible is under consideration in Washington, D.C. and in Frankfort.
“The overall goal is to say that we recognize that these choices are not and do not provide good health outcomes,” said Rep. Matt Lockett (R-Nicholasville).
House Bill 279 seeks to exclude energy drinks, prepared desserts, such as cookies and candy, potato and corn chips and soft drinks from being purchased using SNAP benefits.
Rep. Lockett says it is a bill that is part of a larger goal to improve the health of Kentuckians both on and off the program.
“In no way is this trying to take away the free will of anyone,” he said. “That’s not the goal of this legislation whatsoever.”
The Kentucky Center for Economic Policy says there are about 586 thousand Kentuckians who use SNAP as of Nov. 2024. One of the group’s policy associates says federal assistance programs should be expanded upon, not restricted.
“The harder we make it for retailers to participate in that program, the harder it is for participants to access grocery stores in order to use their benefits,” said Jessica Klein, policy associate for the Ky. Center for Economic Policy.
Klein says SNAP helps stimulate local economies, and she says SNAP benefits have improved the well-being of Kentuckians on the program.
“We’ve also seen long-term health impacts of SNAP program and no research that it increases obesity or other chronic diseases participating in the program,” she said.
With a similar bill proposed in Washington, Rep. Lockett says House Bill 279 is a part of a multi-level approach at bettering individual health nationwide.
“We have to start somewhere, and I think this is a great place to start because it’s starting on the federal level as well, this is a super place to start on the state level,” said Rep. Lockett.
The Families and Children committee in Frankfort will have to approve House Bill 279 before it is heard in the full House chamber.
Copyright 2025 WKYT. All rights reserved.
发表回复