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HB0323 • 2025

SNAP benefits-waiver request.

AN ACT relating to welfare; requiring the director of the department of family services to request a waiver under the supplemental nutrition assistance program as specified; providing definitions; and providing for an effective date.

Agriculture
Inactive

Wyoming marks this bill as inactive, which usually means it is no longer moving in the current session.

Sponsor
Representative Wasserburger
Last action
2025-03-03
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2025

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material indicates that the bill is inactive and has died in committee. Therefore, its current status does not reflect any enacted provisions.

SNAP Benefits-Waiver Request

This act requires the director of the department of family services to request a waiver from the USDA to exclude candy and soft drinks from SNAP benefits.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a new law that directs the director of the Wyoming Department of Family Services to ask for permission (a waiver) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to stop allowing people on SNAP to buy candy and soft drinks with their benefits.
  • Defines 'candy' as sweet treats made with sugar, honey or other natural sweeteners combined with chocolate, fruit, nuts or flavors in bar, drop or piece form.
  • Defines 'soft drink' as a non-alcoholic beverage that contains natural sugars but does not include milk-based drinks or those that are mostly juice by volume.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who receive SNAP benefits
  • The director of the Wyoming Department of Family Services

Terms To Know

SNAP
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a federal program that helps low-income people buy food.
Waiver
An exception to the rules made by an authority like the USDA

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what will happen if the waiver is denied.
  • It is unclear how many people in Wyoming currently buy candy and soft drinks with SNAP benefits.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB0323HS001

Standing Committee • House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes the phrase 'or artificial' from specific lines in the bill.

  • Removes 'or artificial' from line 16 on page 1 of the bill.
  • Removes 'or artificial' from line 5 on page 2 of the bill.
  • The amendment does not provide context about why these phrases are being removed, which limits understanding of its full impact.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-03 Senate

    S:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to SR 5-4

  2. 2025-02-28 Senate

    S No report prior to CoW Cutoff

  3. 2025-02-20 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S05 - Agriculture

  4. 2025-02-10 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  5. 2025-02-10 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 48-11-3-0-0

  6. 2025-02-07 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  7. 2025-02-06 House

    H COW:Passed

  8. 2025-02-03 House

    H Placed on General File

  9. 2025-02-03 House

    H10 - Labor:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 7-1-0-1-0

  10. 2025-01-29 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H10 - Labor

  11. 2025-01-29 House

    H Received for Introduction

  12. 2025-01-28 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
25LSO-0798
2025
STATE OF WYOMING
25LSO-0798
ENGROSSED
3.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0323

SNAP benefits-waiver request.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Wasserburger

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to welfare; requiring the director of the department of family services to request a waiver under the supplemental nutrition assistance program as specified; providing definitions; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 42
‑
2
‑
115 is created to read:

42
‑
2
‑
115.

Supplemental nutrition assistance program; waiver; definitions.

(a)

As used in this section:

(i)

"Candy" means a preparation of sugar, honey or other natural sweeteners in combination with chocolate, fruit, nuts or other ingredients or flavorings in the form of bars, drops or pieces;

(ii)

"Soft drink" means a nonalcoholic beverage that contains natural sweeteners. "Soft drink" shall not include a beverage that contains milk, milk products, soy, rice or similar milk substitutes or a beverage that is greater than fifty percent (50%) vegetable or fruit juice by volume.

(b)

Not later than July 1, 2025, the director of the department of family services shall request a waiver from the United States department of agriculture to exclude candy and soft drinks from the definition of eligible foods under 7 C.F.R. § 271.2. If the waiver is granted, the director of the department of family services shall prohibit the purchase of candy and soft drinks with benefits provided under the supplemental nutrition assistance program. If no waiver is granted, the director of the department of family services shall repeat the request for a waiver annually until the waiver is granted.

Section 2
.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution
.

(END)

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HB0323