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North Country Sen. Ritchie wants to restrict food stamp users from buying 'junk food,' 'luxury items'

Posted 2/19/16

State Sen. Patty Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, wants the state to tighten up on what sorts of food people getting public assistance benefits can buy, eliminating “junk food” like cake, candy and soda and …

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North Country Sen. Ritchie wants to restrict food stamp users from buying 'junk food,' 'luxury items'

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State Sen. Patty Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, wants the state to tighten up on what sorts of food people getting public assistance benefits can buy, eliminating “junk food” like cake, candy and soda and “luxury items” such as steak and lobster.

Ritchie is sponsoring S.6761, “To improve public health and promote better nutrition by limiting the use of public benefit EBT cards only for items that are determined to be essentials,” the bill says.

“Many of these items aren’t just unhealthy, they’re also expensive,” Ritchie said in a press release.

Ritchie represents the 48th Senate District, which includes all of the northern edge of St. Lawrence County from Massena to Hammond, and Ogdensburg, Canton and Gouverneur. It extends into Jefferson and Oswego counties.

The bill would “would help low-income families and individuals stretch their grocery budgets and eat more healthy foods, as well as protect taxpayer dollars by limiting the use of EBT cards for the purchase of junk food and luxury items,” the press release from Ritchie’s office said.

“The goal of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is to help low-income consumers make wise and healthy food choices—however in New York State, SNAP beneficiaries are able to use their taxpayer-funded EBT cards to purchase things like soda, candy, cake and other types of junk food and luxury items,” said Ritchie in her press release.

Under current law, Ritchie’s statement says, EBT cards can now be used to purchase non-essential items, including what she calls “unhealthy foods like cookies, cakes and soda, as well as luxury items, like steak and lobster.”

“While the SNAP program restricts the use of EBT cards for certain things, like alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, pet food and hot or prepared foods, it still allows for the purchase of items that are not only not essential, but also contrary to the program’s purpose of promoting good nutrition,” the statement says..

The Office of Temporary Disability Assistance, which is designated as the state agency that works with the United States Department of Agriculture on the supplemental nutrition program, formerly called Food Stamps, would determine which items would be prohibited.

The bill, S6761, has been sent to the Senate Finance Committee for review.

Ritchie’s colleague, Sen. Joe Griffo, R-Rome, whose district includes a swath running through the middle of St. Lawrence County, from Massena to Fine, including Potsdam, also wants to further restrict where and how public assistance recipients can use their benefits.

His bill, S6071, proposes what Griffo calls “public assistance accountability,” which would establish a series of escalating penalties for each failure to comply with the laws and rules that govern the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, such as prohibitions against using benefits for cigarettes and alcohol. It would also require recipients to look for work and be able to prove it.