DES; SNAP; waiver; prepared foods

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not provide details on what happens if the waiver request is denied indefinitely or how costs will be managed.

SNAP Waiver for Hot and Prepared Foods

This bill allows the Arizona Department of Economic Security to request permission from the U.S. Department of Agriculture so that people who get SNAP benefits can buy hot foods and prepared foods.

What This Bill Does

• The bill lets the director of the Arizona Department of Economic Security ask for a special permission (called a waiver) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow SNAP enrollees to purchase hot and prepared foods.
• If the permission is given, people who use SNAP benefits will be allowed to buy hot foods and prepared foods at stores.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who get help from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
• Stores that sell food to SNAP users.

Terms To Know

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

A program that helps people buy food by giving them money each month.

Waiver

An exception to a rule, given by an authority like the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what will happen if the waiver is never granted.
• It's unclear how much it will cost or who will pay for this change.

Official Summary Text

HB4101 - DES; SNAP; waiver; prepared foods

Current Bill Text

HB4101 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
DES; SNAP; waiver; prepared foods

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 4101

Introduced by

Representative
Stahl Hamilton

AN
ACT

amending title 46, chapter 2, article 2,
arizona revised statutes, by adding section 46-232; relating to the
supplemental nutrition assistance program.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 46, chapter 2, article 2,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 46-232, to read:

START_STATUTE
46-232.

Department of economic security; supplemental nutrition
assistance program; waiver; definitions

A. The director of the department of
economic security shall request a waiver from the united states department of
agriculture to allow supplemental nutrition assistance program enrollees to
purchase hot foods and prepared foods. If the waiver is granted, the
director shall allow supplemental nutrition assistance program enrollees to
purchase hot foods and prepared foods.� If the waiver is not granted, the
director shall request a waiver annually until the waiver is granted.

B. For the purposes of this section:

1. "hot foods" means food
products that are sold hot at the point of sale.

2. "Prepared foods" means
food products that are made by a retailer and that require no additional
preparation before immediate consumption.
END_STATUTE