Texas Lawmakers Seek New Food Stamp Purchasing Restrictions

The proposals seek to ban the use of food stamps to purchase "junk" food and energy drinks.

February 12, 2013

AUSTIN - Texas legislators want to prohibit people from using food stamps to purchase "junk" food and energy drinks, The Daily Caller reports.

Sponsored by state Rep. Richard Peña Raymond, the bill is meant to protect taxpayer dollars from paying for food that could damage people??s health and ultimate require government-sponsored health care costs to redress, according to the news source.

"You buy whatever you want. You want to buy two pounds of butter and go have that for supper? That??s your money. You do whatever you want," Raymond said. "We should not be on the one hand us[ing] tax dollars to buy junk food, and then on the other hand use tax dollars to pay for health related diseases that come about because of junk food."

Accordingly, Raymond??s legislation would prohibit food stamps from purchasing sweetened beverages, candy, potato or corn chips and cookies.

Meanwhile, another bill, sponsored by state Rep. Terry Canales, would prohibit the use of food stamps to purchase energy drinks.

"There??s nothing nutritious or healthy about these products, and in fact they??re potentially dangerous to children," Canales said. "We don??t believe you should be able to use government funds to buy them." The bill applies to beverages containing at least 65 milligrams of caffeine per eight ounces.

If enacted, both bills would take effect on September 1, 2013.

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