BILL NUMBER:A10965
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the social services law, in relation
to prohibiting the purchase of food items which are not nutritional
with food stamp program coupons or other access devices relating
thereto
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: Prohibits the purchase of food items
which are not nutritional with food stamps
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 1 of the bill establishes
"Snap Back Into Shape Act" as the short title.
Section 2 amends subdivision 7 of section 95 of the social services
law to include all other access devices, and defines the purchase of
any non-nutritional food items as an unauthorized use of food stamps
and other access devices, This bill also defines "non-nutritional"
food as containing (a) at least 400mg of salt per serving, or (b)
37.5g of sugar per 100g serving,
JUSTIFICATION: While the state cannot tell its citizens to eat
nutritional food, it can choose to no longer supplement non-healthy
lifestyles. The SNAP Program, and all food stamps and other access
devices associated with the program, are intended to supplement the
daily nutritional diet of citizens who cannot afford to meet their
daily nutritional requirements without assistance. However, the SNAP
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
10965
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 5, 2010
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BALL -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to prohibiting the
purchase of food items which are not nutritional with food stamp
program coupons or other access devices relating thereto
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and be cited as the
"snap back into shape act".
S 2. Subdivision 7 of section 95 of the social services law, as added
by chapter 452 of the laws of 1986, is amended to read as follows:
7. When an eligible recipient under this section is issued an authori-
zation to participate in the food stamp program by written or electronic
means, such authorization to participate may be redeemed for food stamp
program coupons at designated redemption centers by the recipient or by
an authorized representative. When an eligible recipient under this
section is issued food stamp program coupons OR OTHER ACCESS DEVICES
THEREFOR, such food stamp program coupons OR ACCESS DEVICES may be used
to purchase food items from a food distributor by the recipient or by an
authorized representative. Any other transfer or sale of authorizations
to participate or food stamp program coupons OR OTHER ACCESS DEVICES
THEREFOR shall constitute an unauthorized use of said authorizations
[or], coupons OR DEVICES. FURTHERMORE, ANY PURCHASE OF FOOD ITEMS WHICH
ARE NOT NUTRITIONAL SHALL CONSTITUTE AN UNAUTHORIZED USE OF SUCH COUPONS
OR DEVICES. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION A FOOD ITEM SHALL BE
DEEMED TO BE "NOT NUTRITIONAL" IF IT: (A) HAS FOUR HUNDRED MILLIGRAMS OR
MORE OF SALT PER SERVING OF THE FOOD ITEM, OR (B) HAS THIRTY-SEVEN AND
ONE-HALF GRAMS OR MORE OF SUGAR PER ONE HUNDRED GRAM SERVING OF THE FOOD
ITEM. For the purposes of this subdivision, "authorized representative"
shall be defined in regulations promulgated by the commissioner.
S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16117-01-0
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