Committee votes to make SNAP benefits for healthy food only

A bill requiring what formerly was the food stamp program to be used only for nutritious foods advanced through the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee Tuesday, as did a bill to use tobacco settlement proceeds to reduce a list of people waiting to use developmental disabilities services.

House Bill 1035 by Rep. Mary Bentley, R-Perryville, is the Arkansas Healthy Food Improvement Act. It requires the Department of Human Services to allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries to use their electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards only for “foods, food products, and beverages that have sufficient nutritional value.”

It passed 12-6, with 12 of the panel’s Republicans voting yes, two voting no (Rep. Jack Ladyman, R-Jonesboro, and Rep. Ken Henderson, R-Russellville), and two not voting (Rep. David Branscum, R-Marshall, and the chairman, Rep. Jeff Wardlaw, R-Hermitage). The four Democrats on the panel voted no.

DHS would identify which foods could be purchased through SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program. To help make that determination, it would use federal guidelines for the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children, which does limit which foods and beverages beneficiaries can obtain.

Bentley referenced a study published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in November finding that more money was spent on soft drinks than any other item, by both SNAP recipients (5% of their purchases) and the general population (4%). Across both populations, about 20% of purchases were for sweetened drinks, desserts, salty snacks, candy and sugar.

The data came from an anonymous national grocery chain which provided the department with records of food items bought in 2011. The report could not always determine what SNAP beneficiaries were purchasing using their benefit cards versus their own money. That year, SNAP beneficiaries received more than $71 billion in benefits.

Bentley, a registered nurse, argued that the bill would help the state create a healthier population, reduce its rate of obesity and reduce Medicaid costs.

“I want the kids in our state to have sippy cups that are full of good, fresh milk from Arkansas dairies and fruit juice, and not Mountain Dew and Pepsi,” she said.

The bill was opposed by Walmart, which did not testify, as well as by grocers who said it would be burdensome to implement. Paul Rowton, executive vice president of Edwards Food Giant, a chain of 13 grocery stores, said the consumer food industry contains about 300,000 individually labeled food items, making implementation a challenge for grocers. Each individual food item would have to be analyzed and a database compiled. Questions would arise as to which foods were healthy and which weren’t based on a variety of factors; a Diet Coke could pass muster because of its low calorie count, while orange juice might not qualify. He said each of his stores might have to upgrade register systems at a cost of $100,000 per store. He said the bill would lead to longer wait times in line as customers paid for approved items with their EBT cards and for other items with cash, or replaced one unapproved item with an approved one. He said the bill doesn’t address the number of state employees required to administer the system.

Charlie Spakes with the Arkansas Grocers and Retail Merchants Association said stores near the state line could lose business as customers shopped across the border where they could purchase what they wanted.

Kathy Webb, executive director of the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, testified against the bill, saying many Arkansans live in “food deserts” where they rely on dollar stores and convenience stores and don’t have many healthy choices.

She said healthy food costs more than unhealthy food. Rep. Robin Lundstrum, R-Springdale, disputed that assertion, saying that some nutritious foods such as rice and beans are not expensive.

The state must request a waiver from the secretary of Agriculture to implement the program. Bentley said she felt confident that the Trump administration would approve the waiver.

In other committee business, House Bill 1033 by Rep. Andy Mayberry, R-East End, would amend the Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act, an initiated act passed by voters in 2000 that serves Medicaid recipients, to fund services for developmentally disabled children and adults. About 2,640 individuals are on a waiting list, some since 2007, to receive home- and community-based services. Gov. Asa Hutchinson proposed the idea in September.

Currently $8.5 million of the Tobacco Settlement money each year is not being spent because the individuals it originally served are now covered under the federal Affordable Care Act. Mayberry said that money has been accruing and, if used to address the waiting list, would be matched by about $20 million in federal funds annually.

The money could be used to reduce the waiting list by about 500 individuals, Mayberry said.