(WHTM) — A new bill proposes changing the types of foods that are covered under Pennsylvania’s SNAP program.

A Senate bill proposed by Sen. Michele Brooks (R-50) and Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33) would direct the Department of Human Services to seek a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to exclude calorie-dense and nutrient-poor “junk foods” from purchase under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

In a co-sponsorship memo,

Sen. Brooks asserts that in the United States, nearly ten percent of food stamp dollars are spent on sugary drinks each year, with another $600 million spent on candy and prepared desserts.

The memo says high-sugar, ultra-processed diets contribute to numerous preventable health issues and are growing costs on Pennsylvania taxpayer-funded healthcare programs, which “spend over a billion dollars on costly weight loss medications.”

Sen. Brooks adds that SNAP already excludes “non-nutritive items” such as alcohol, tobacco, hot prepared foods, and non-food items, and says this bill would apply the same principle, placing targeted limits on a narrow category of unhealthy products that demonstrably undermine public health.

The USDA reports that twelve other states are pursuing similar waivers with varying restrictions on sugary foods and drinks.

This document has not been submitted for introduction yet.