South DakotaSouth Dakota seeks federal limits on sweetened drinks bought with SNAP
South Dakota's social services secretary must ask federal officials to exclude sweetened drinks from SNAP purchases, with exceptions for milk, milk substitutes, and certain juices.
What it does
The Department of Social Services secretary must ask federal officials to exclude sweetened drinks from foods people can buy with SNAP benefits. The request excludes milk, milk substitutes, and certain approved juices.
Argument forIf federal officials approve the request, excluding sweetened drinks may steer SNAP benefits toward other eligible foods.
Argument againstIf federal officials approve the request, SNAP participants may have fewer ways to use their benefits to buy sweetened drinks.
More detail
The Department of Social Services secretary must ask federal officials to remove soft drinks from foods eligible for SNAP benefits. The secretary must request a change to which foods people can buy with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Soft drinks are nonalcoholic drinks with natural or artificial sweeteners. The definition excludes milk, milk products, rice, soy, and similar milk substitutes, and juices approved by the Department of Health for the WIC nutrition program. The secretary must submit the request by September 1, 2026. If federal officials approve it, the department must put the restriction in place within six months. If they do not approve it, the secretary must submit a new request each year until approval.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 4Signed by the Governor Larry Rhoden on 2026-03-04 H.J. 496Became Law
- Mar 3Delivered to the Governor on 2026-03-03 H.J. 480To Governor
- Mar 2Signed by the President S.J. 434Major
- Feb 26Signed by the Speaker H.J. 462Major
- Feb 25Senate Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 27, NAYS 6 S.J. 401Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 24Senate Deferred to another day , Passed, S.J. 370
- Feb 23Senate Deferred to another day , Passed, S.J. 364
- Feb 20Committee on Appropriations Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 6, NAYS 2 S.J. 7Minor
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 20Scheduled for hearing
- Feb 17Referred to , Passed, Senate Committee on Appropriations S.J. 269Minor
- Feb 11Health and Human Services Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 5, NAYS 2 S.J. 13Minor
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 11Fiscal Note Requested , Passed, S.J. 13
- Feb 11Scheduled for hearing
- Feb 5First read in Senate and referred to Senate Health and Human Services S.J. 199Minor
- Feb 4House of Representatives Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 58, NAYS 11 H.J. 226Passed House
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 3Health and Human Services Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 11, NAYS 2 H.J. 8Minor
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 3Scheduled for hearing
- Jan 14First read in House and referred to House Health and Human Services H.J. 24Introduced
Healthcare