Earlier this month, Utah became the latest of a growing number of states to ban the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, or food stamps, to buy soda. I interviewed Utah State Representative Kristen Chevrier (R-UT), who authored HB403 prohibiting SNAP soda purchases, to learn more about the effort and why it’s an important piece of the Trump administration’s mission to “Make America Healthy Again.”
As Chevrier explained, although Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican, signed the bill into law in March, it still had to get approval from the federal government. Because SNAP is a federally funded program administered by the states, any regulatory changes must be approved by D.C. – specifically the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins signed waivers approving HB403’s soda purchases ban on June 10, paving the way for Utah to join Nebraska, Indiana, Arkansas, Idaho, and Iowa. The ban will go into effect on January 1, 2026. The bill passed the Utah House 54-14 and the Senate 15-13.
The bill defines soft drinks as “a nonalcoholic beverage that is made with carbonated water and that is flavored and sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners.” Any drink containing milk, milk products, soy, rice, or other milk substitutes, or beverages that are over 50 percent fruit or vegetable juice by volume are excluded from the ban.
Chevrier told me that the goal of her bill was to “help restore the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to its proper function,” which she said is to “provide nutritional assistance to our vulnerable neighbors, helping to improve overall health outcomes, and reducing future costs to taxpayers.” HB403 was Chevrier’s first bill this past legislative session.
The data shows that Chevrier’s bill is urgently needed. According to a 2015 NIH report, adults on SNAP had significantly higher rates of obesity and were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than the general public.
Elected Democrats and liberal special interest groups have long opposed any restrictions on the SNAP program, often attempting to appeal to Americans’ sense of personal responsibility and the freedom to make individual choices. Chevrier, a Utah leader in the MAHA movement, says she is all about personal freedom and responsibility – when American taxpayers aren’t footing the bill. As she explained, every American is still free to buy soda with their own money.
Conservatives have also pointed out the hypocrisy of Democrats suddenly claiming to care about “freedom” and “making your own decisions” when it comes to taxpayer-funded SNAP benefits, but not when it came to issues like mask mandates and COVID-19 lockdowns or school choice.
Others on the left have called restrictions on SNAP purchases paternalistic and stigmatizing. To that claim, Rep Chevrier said: “when a program is designed for a specific purpose, using monies allocated for that program for other things is inappropriate.” In this case, SNAP is designed to ensure Americans have the nutrition they need to survive – not to pay for soft drinks.
Secretary Kennedy has expressed a similar sentiment. “I call on every governor in the nation to submit a SNAP waiver to eliminate sugary drinks—taxpayer dollars should never bankroll products that fuel the chronic disease epidemic,” he said following the signing of Utah’s waiver.
“President Trump has given our nation a once in a generation opportunity to change the health trajectory for our entire country,” Rollins added in a statement. “On my first day as Secretary, I sent a call to states to innovate, and Governors Jim Pillen, Kim Reynolds, Mike Braun, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Laura Kelly, Patrick Morrisey, Jared Polis, Brad Little, Spencer Cox, and Greg Abbott have stepped up and taken action. I look forward to signing even more waivers in the days ahead as we continue to restore the health of America.”
Chevrier says that she and her colleagues are looking at additional ways to further improve the SNAP program and subsequent legislation could come forward in future legislative sessions. Utah has also already banned fluoride in its drinking water and prohibited certain dyes and chemicals in school lunches this year as part of the state’s support for MAHA.
Some states have gone even further than Utah. Arkansas’ waiver, effective July 1, 2026, restricts the purchase of soda, fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50 percent natural juice, unhealthy drinks, and candy. Idaho’s waiver, effective January 1, 2026, prohibits the purchase of soda and candy with SNAP benefits.
While conservative states have made major inroads in the effort to ensure taxpayer-funded nutrition programs aren’t used for nutritionally bankrupt foods and beverages, they still face some major hurdles – namely the money and influence of snack and soda companies. As AMAC Newsline reported earlier this year, SNAP soda purchases alone account for $10 billion in annual revenue for soft drink companies – a massive incentive for those companies to ensure their products remain SNAP eligible.
Nonetheless, with MAHA champions like Rep. Chevrier leading the way at the state level and support from officials like Secretaries Kennedy and Rollins in Washington, the future of American health looks undeniably brighter.
Jordan Hess, a native of Utah, holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s from George Washington University in political management. He gained Capitol Hill experience working in the US Senate for four years and at The Heritage Foundation for three. He currently resides in Utah doing government affairs work and is actively involved in political campaigns.
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