HLS 24RS-1980 ENGROSSED
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 105
BY REPRESENTATIVE ROMERO
SNAP/FOOD STAMPS: Memorializes the United States Congress and the United States
Department of Agriculture to grant Louisiana a waiver to remove unhealthy foods
from the list of approved foods that may be purchased with Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program benefits
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To memorialize the United States Congress and the United States Department of
3 Agriculture (USDA) to grant Louisiana a waiver to allow the Louisiana Department
4 of Children and Family Services to remove unhealthy foods from the list of approved
5 foods that may purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
6 benefits.
7 WHEREAS, the USDA allows unhealthy, high fat foods to be purchased with SNAP
8benefits contributing to the unhealthy lifestyle of our most vulnerable population; and
9 WHEREAS, in Louisiana, approximately forty percent of adults and twenty percent
10of students in grades nine through twelve are considered obese; and
11 WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that obesity is
12associated with at least thirteen different types of cancer which make up forty percent of all
13cancers diagnosed; and
14 WHEREAS, children with obesity are more likely to have obesity as adults due to
15patterns of behavior learned at a young age; and
16 WHEREAS, adults with obesity have a higher risk of developing life-threatening
17illnesses such as heart disease, type-II diabetes, and cancer; and
18 WHEREAS, in 2019, annual obesity-related medical care costs in the United States
19were estimated to be nearly one hundred seventy-three billion dollars; and
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HCR NO. 105
1 WHEREAS, forty percent of all United States households do not live within one mile
2of healthy food retailers; and
3 WHEREAS, Louisiana has implemented Greaux the Good, a program that allows
4SNAP benefit recipients to receive a dollar-for-dollar match on their SNAP benefits, to
5encourage families to buy more fruits and vegetables while supporting small and local food
6producers; and
7 WHEREAS, in 2023, an average of nearly forty-three thousand individuals
8participated in the SNAP program nationwide at a cost of nearly one hundred thirteen billion
9dollars; and
10 WHEREAS, SNAP was established by federal law to be a cooperative endeavor
11between a state and the federal government where the program is administered by the state
12and financed by the federal government; and
13 WHEREAS, in Louisiana, SNAP is administered by the Department of Children and
14Family Services; and
15 WHEREAS, the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 defines "food" for the purposes of
16SNAP as any food or food product for home consumption except alcoholic beverages,
17tobacco, or hot foods ready for immediate consumption; and
18 WHEREAS, the USDA interprets the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to allow SNAP
19benefit recipients to purchase candy, cakes, potato chips, and other unhealthy foods; and
20 WHEREAS, due to the presence of federal law, the Department of Children and
21Family Services must seek approval from the federal government in the form of a waiver in
22order to alter the types of food that may be purchased with SNAP benefits.
23 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
24memorialize the United States Congress and the United States Department of Agriculture
25to grant Louisiana a waiver to allow the Department of Children and Family Services to
26remove unhealthy foods from the foods allowed to be purchased with SNAP benefits.
27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Children and Family Services
28shall present the rule waiver to the House and Senate committees on health and welfare prior
29to submitting the rule waiver the United States Department of Agriculture.
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HCR NO. 105
1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Children and Family Services
2shall work with medical professional and nutrition experts to determine which foods to
3remove from the list of approved foods to promote the health of children and families
4receiving SNAP benefits.
5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
6governor, the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
7Congress of the United States, and to each member of the Louisiana congressional
8delegation.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 105 Engrossed 2024 Regular Session Romero
Memorializes the United States Congress and the United States Department of Agriculture
to permit the Department of Children and Family Services to remove unhealthy foods from
the list of approved foods that may purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program benefits.
Requires the Department of Children and Family Service to present the rule waiver to the
House and Senate health and welfare committees.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to
the original bill:
1. Require the Department of Children and Family Service to present the rule
waiver to the House and Senate health and welfare committees.
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