The state Senate on Tuesday approved a bill to allow Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services to seek a federal waiver prohibiting FoodShare recipients from purchasing candy or soda with their benefits.
“You know what? Kids from families that qualify for food share might deserve a little candy and soda now and then too,” said Senator Mark Spreitzer, a Beloit Democrat. “And ultimately, I think we all want to support health. We all understand that most of our diet shouldn’t be candy and soda. We all want to support healthy foods. But micromanaging the grocery purchases of low-income folks is not the way to accomplish that.”
Republicans attached $69 million and 70 positions for DHS to help ensure quality control of FoodShare and keep the error rate low. “We have all heard from advocates. We all understand the consequences of not getting this to become law,” Spreitzer said. “But it is deeply frustrating that Republicans in this legislature have chosen to tie these two issues together, to essentially force the acceptance of these restrictions on what folks can buy as a condition of making the program operate at all.”
Because the measure includes the funding he requested, Democratic Governor Tony Evers is expected to sign it. The bill previously passed the Assembly prior to Tuesday’s bipartisan 25-8 Senate vote.