Yes.
In April, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill that sought to prohibit people from using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits — commonly known as food stamps — to purchase soda. SNAP is a federal program administered at the state level.
House Bill 2165, advanced by Republican lawmakers, mirrored efforts in states like Iowa and Nebraska to block the use of SNAP benefits for soda and other sugary foods. Some states have already asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture for waivers to restrict SNAP benefits as part of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement.
Though Hobbs commended the effort to “improve health outcomes” for Arizonans in her veto letter, she stated that she did not support doing so by dictating what SNAP beneficiaries could buy.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs, or quick-response fact checks, about trending claims relating to Arizona.
Sources
- Arizona Legislature, House Bill 2165
- Office of Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, Veto Letter for House Bill 2165
- Reuters, Four states have asked USDA to let them ban soda, candy from food assistance program
- NPR, RFK Jr. wants to stop people using SNAP benefits to buy soda. Will it help?
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Legiscan, Arizona House Bill 2165
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The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is partnering with Gigafact to produce timely fact briefs, or quick-response fact checks, about trending claims relating to Arizona.
