Tennessee’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is likely to join twelve other states’ food assistance program in a significant overhaul.
Governor Bill Lee announced on Friday, August 8 of the Tennessee Department of Health’s waiver that will be submitted that would remove payment through the EBT card system in the Volunteer State for any “items listing sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, or a similar caloric alternative as the primary (first) ingredient” as well as “beverages where carbonated water and sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or a similar caloric alternative are the first two ingredients.”
The waiver will ask for a third action that includes payment in the SNAP system for previously excluded “hot prepared chicken, including rotisserie and non-fried, non-breaded items like grilled chicken tenders–offering convenient, healthy meal solutions” to be covered as approved items for purchase.
Tennessee’s waiver reflects a bill passed with 69 votes of support in the Tennessee House of Representatives but never saw a floor vote in the Tennessee Senate. The language of the waiver parallels the language of the bill passed on March 10.
“Tennessee is leading the nation in creating innovative solutions to enhance quality of life, and I’m proud to continue our legacy of responsible fiscal stewardship while also delivering nutritious food choices for hard-working families,” said Gov. Lee in the statewide press release. Other states that have applied for the waiver, six of which have already been approved by US Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., are Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, which partially oversees the food assistance program federally, the prohibition of these two categories of purchases will make a significant change in buying habits of SNAP participants.
The number two purchase and the number fifteen typical purchase of SNAP households would be denied with the approval of the Tennessee waiver request based on national data. Take notice of any direct alerts to EBT card users. Your list of qualified purchases may be changing in the near future.