A man shops for groceries at a Chicago supermarket. Inspired by now confirmed federal Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s views, several states are considering bills to prevent food stamps from being used to purchase candy and soda. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
A Republican lawmaker says she’s heard legislators ask how Utah can facilitate efforts from the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, Elon Musk’s federal task force focused on “slashing” federal funding.
One way Utah can lead, Rep. Kristen Chevrier says, is by creating a pathway for the state to disallow food stamp use for the purchases of soft drinks.
A bill from Chevrier, R-Highland, would direct Utah’s Department of Workforce Services to request a waiver from the federal government to prohibit the purchase of soda with the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
HB403 passed the Utah House of Representatives in a 54-14 vote, along party lines Thursday.
Chevrier doubled down on her statements from last week’s committee hearing that the Trump administration would welcome this waiver.
“This is a common-sense proposal, one that is being considered by at least a dozen other states this year, and one that will be well received by the Trump administration, but also by anyone who’s concerned about the overall health of our nation,” she said.
Rep. Carol Moss, D-Holladay, said her concern with the bill surrounded people’s dignity and how it discriminates against people who use government assistance.
“I wonder how everyone in this body would handle (it) if we were told we couldn’t have a Diet Coke … for a day,” she said.
Around $10 million of SNAP funds in Utah are spent on soda, Chevrier added.
“As legislators, we must be concerned both about our stewardship over taxpayer funds and our role in encouraging healthy habits,” Chevrier said. “We should not force Utahns to eat certain foods, and we are not doing that, but we should also not use tax funds to subsidize choices that don’t have nutritional value.”
The estimated $10 million spent on soft drinks would not be saving taxpayers money, Chevrier clarified, but could instead be directed towards other foods.
HB403 originally would have required the waiver to also seek to ban candy, but a substitute to the bill removed that provision.
If the bill takes effect, Utah’s Department of Workforce Services would have to submit the waiver by July 1, 2025.
Chevrier’s bill is part of a push by Republican legislators across the country to align with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s views on healthy living.
In a statement, Utah House Democrats said enacting dietary restrictions for SNAP recipients undermines their autonomy and dignity.
“Research shows that such restrictions do not effectively change dietary habits but instead undermine the autonomy and dignity of those relying on SNAP. While this bill claims to promote healthier choices, it imposes restrictions without offering constructive or evidence-based solutions,” House Democrats said. “Additionally, this legislation will be complicated to implement — requiring costly updates to point-of-sale systems, staff retraining, and compliance monitoring, all without guaranteeing better health outcomes.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported there are questions about the feasibility and effectiveness of restricting the use of food stamp benefits, including a lack of existing standards to define foods as healthy or unhealthy, implementation challenges that could further complicate SNAP, the fact that restrictions might not actually change purchasing habits, and no substantial evidence showing that SNAP benefits directly contribute to poor food choices and negative dietary outcomes.
Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee, in partnership with Republican Alabama Sen. Katie Britt, has introduced legislation that would exclude soft drinks, candy, ice cream and prepared desserts from being purchased with SNAP at the federal level.
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