Florida House Panel Rejects Food Stamp Sweets Ban

Tallahassee, FL (AP) -- February 13, 2012 --

A Florida House panel has rejected a proposal to ban using food stamps to purchase sweets, potato chips and other junk food.

 

An appropriations subcommittee on Monday stripped the provision from a bill (HB 1401) that also would ban welfare recipients from using debit-like cards to access cash benefits outside of Florida or at strip clubs, liquor stores, bars and gambling establishments.

 

An appropriations subcommittee on Monday stripped the provision from a bill (HB 1401) that also would ban welfare recipients from using debit-like cards to access cash benefits outside of Florida or at strip clubs, liquor stores, bars and gambling establishments.

The panel then approved the truncated bill 9-5.

Several members who voted for it, though, warned the sponsor they would oppose a similar Senate bill (SB 1658) that still contains the food stamp provision if it should pass in that chamber or any effort to restore the ban to the House version.

Opponents of the proposed food stamp limits said it would infringe on recipients' freedom of choice.

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Tallahassee, FL -- February 9, 2012 --

Legislation that would ban the use of food stamps to buy candy and junk food remains alive in the Florida Legislature. After a close call, the measure (SB 1658) narrowly cleared a senate budget subcommittee on a four to three vote on Wednesday. Soft drink bottlers and retailers say separating banned items from those that would be allowed would increase costs for small businesses. The bill now heads to several committees before going up for a vote.

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Tallahassee, FL -- February 7, 2012 --

State lawmakers could vote to keep people from using food stamps to buy junk food. A bill to add candy, Coke and cookies to the list of items food stamps won’t cover has passed a senate committee. The bill is raising questions about how entitlements are being used.

An entire shelf in Ed and Joan Thomas’s discount grocery store is dedicated to sweets. Almost half the store’s customers pay with food stamps and sometimes the chips and candy bars end up in their shopping baskets.

“Candy bars, you can get them most of the time six for a dollar; gum 50 cents a pack,” said Joan.

This shelf could soon be off limits to people paying with food stamps. State Senator Ronda Storms is sponsoring legislation that would add junk food to the list of items not covered by the entitlement benefit.

“In these times when we are making all these cuts at the state level, the local level, the federal government. We are cutting back everywhere. Really, is it a high priority for us to buy people potato chips?” asks Storms.

Representative Mark Pafford calls the bill heavy handed.

“It’s certainly government going way too far in private family matters,” said Pafford.

The bill would also keep people who receive cash assistance on state issued debit cards from using those cards in liquor stores, strip clubs, and casinos.

Joan agrees the entitlement shouldn’t be used on gambling or boozing, but says for many of her customers buying a piece of candy for their children, goes a long way.

“When you have children how do you explain to them that you can’t have this candy because I can’t buy it with this,” said Joan.

Last year three million Floridians claimed five billion dollars in food stamps, which means the bill could face a lot of opposition as it goes through the process. Jello, Ice cream, pretzels, popcorn, popsicles, potato chips, donuts and cupcakes are just a few of the items that would be banned. But the junk food element of the bill may have to be eliminated in order to garner support to pass the measure.

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