ENROLLED
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 105
BY REPRESENTATIVE ROMERO
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To memorialize the United States Congress and the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) to grant Louisiana a waiver to allow the Louisiana Department
of Children and Family Services to remove unhealthy foods from the list of approved
foods that may purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
benefits.
WHEREAS, the USDA allows unhealthy, high fat foods to be purchased with SNAP
benefits contributing to the unhealthy lifestyle of our most vulnerable population; and
WHEREAS, in Louisiana, approximately forty percent of adults and twenty percent
of students in grades nine through twelve are considered obese; and
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that obesity is
associated with at least thirteen different types of cancer which make up forty percent of all
cancers diagnosed; and
WHEREAS, children with obesity are more likely to have obesity as adults due to
patterns of behavior learned at a young age; and
WHEREAS, adults with obesity have a higher risk of developing life-threatening
illnesses such as heart disease, type-II diabetes, and cancer; and
WHEREAS, in 2019, annual obesity-related medical care costs in the United States
were estimated to be nearly one hundred seventy-three billion dollars; and
WHEREAS, forty percent of all United States households do not live within one mile
of healthy food retailers; and
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WHEREAS, Louisiana has implemented Greaux the Good, a program that allows
SNAP benefit recipients to receive a dollar-for-dollar match on their SNAP benefits, to
encourage families to buy more fruits and vegetables while supporting small and local food
producers; and
WHEREAS, in 2023, an average of nearly forty-three thousand individuals
participated in the SNAP program nationwide at a cost of nearly one hundred thirteen billion
dollars; and
WHEREAS, SNAP was established by federal law to be a cooperative endeavor
between a state and the federal government where the program is administered by the state
and financed by the federal government; and
WHEREAS, in Louisiana, SNAP is administered by the Department of Children and
Family Services; and
WHEREAS, the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 defines "food" for the purposes of
SNAP as any food or food product for home consumption except alcoholic beverages,
tobacco, or hot foods ready for immediate consumption; and
WHEREAS, the USDA interprets the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to allow SNAP
benefit recipients to purchase candy, cakes, potato chips, and other unhealthy foods; and
WHEREAS, due to the presence of federal law, the Department of Children and
Family Services must seek approval from the federal government in the form of a waiver in
order to alter the types of food that may be purchased with SNAP benefits.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
memorialize the United States Congress and the United States Department of Agriculture
to grant Louisiana a waiver to allow the Department of Children and Family Services to
remove unhealthy foods from the foods allowed to be purchased with SNAP benefits.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Children and Family Services
shall present the rule waiver to the House and Senate committees on health and welfare prior
to submitting the rule waiver the United States Department of Agriculture.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Children and Family Services
shall work with medical professional and nutrition experts to determine which foods to
remove from the list of approved foods to promote the health of children and families
receiving SNAP benefits.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
governor, the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Congress of the United States, and to each member of the Louisiana congressional
delegation.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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