ORLANDO, Fla. — A federal judge has ruled that states cannot restrict what people purchase using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, striking down efforts by several states, including Florida, to limit purchases of junk food and soda.
The decision also affects four other states that had approved similar restrictions through waivers. Those policies would have barred SNAP recipients from using their benefits to buy certain sugary drinks and highly processed foods.
At the center of the ruling is whether the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had the legal authority to approve those waivers in the first place. The court found that the USDA, formally known as the United States Department of Agriculture, did not have the authority to approve state requests allowing restrictions on SNAP purchases.
The case was heard in a federal district court in Washington, D.C.. The judge concluded that federal law governing SNAP does not give states discretion to limit eligible food items in the way the waivers attempted to do.
SNAP is a federally funded program designed to help low-income households buy food. While states administer parts of the program, eligibility rules and benefit usage are largely governed at the federal level.
Supporters of the restrictions argued they were aimed at improving public health by reducing consumption of unhealthy foods. Opponents countered that the rules unfairly stigmatized recipients and limited personal choice in how benefits are used.
The ruling effectively blocks the waivers already approved and is expected to influence how similar proposals are handled going forward. It is not yet clear whether the decision will be appealed.
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