DES MOINES, Iowa — On Wednesday, the Iowa House advanced legislation that would limit the food items that could be purchased for those using SNAP benefits.

The bill passed by a vote of 56 to 40, with eight House Republicans voting against it. The bill requires that SNAP recipients purchase healthy food options and the bill lists what kinds of food will be allowed.

To be able to restrict the types of food that can be purchased, there must be a waiver from the state department of health and human services accepted by the federal government.

“When we are looking at the amount of benefits coming through SNAP, the bill does not reduce the amount of benefits,” said Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley (R) District 57 from New Hartford. “What it is trying to do is, here in Iowa we have a program that best fits Iowans.”

House Democrats urged this restriction to not be advanced because dollars would be spent outside of the state; although the Double Up Food Bucks program is something that the party can get behind.

“In the original bill we give $1 million to Double Up Food Bucks, which is good. On the other hand we will lose $1.5 million,” said State Representative Rob Johnson (D) District 34 from Des Moines.

The bill heads over to the Iowa Senate where a similar policy exists, but it does not have the SNAP waiver portion, just the Double Up Food Bucks appropriation.

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