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By Aliss Higham
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Georgia lawmakers have advanced a proposal to tighten Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rules by restricting certain food purchases and adding new eligibility and verification requirements.
The measure, House Bill 947, passed the Georgia House by substitute and crossed over to the Senate on March 6.
Why It Matters
About 1.4 million Georgians—roughly one in eight people in the state—receive SNAP, and changes to eligibility, certification, and allowable purchases could alter access to benefits and day-to-day grocery choices for large numbers of households.
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The bill also mirrors broader national debates over work requirements, categorical eligibility, and state error rates in SNAP administration, with recent analyses projecting that tightening rules at the national level could reduce participation by millions.
What To Know
HB 947, or the Georgia SNAP Healthier Choices or Integrity Act of 2026, would restrict broad-based categorical eligibility; tighten gross income and resource standards; impose pre-authorization accuracy checks; and limit or condition waivers of work requirements.
The House-passed substitute on March 6 requires verification of all eligibility criteria within 30 days, prohibits issuing a second month of benefits before verifications are complete, and calls for data-matching with agencies such as the Departments of Public Health and Corrections.
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The proposal would also regulate Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP, which provides temporary food assistance to low-income households affected by a Presidentially declared disaster), set reporting requirements, provide private rights of action, and include an automatic repeal provision.
The bill also calls for aligning SNAP purchases with nutrition goals by limiting items such as candy, energy drinks, and high-sugar desserts. Numerous states across the country have already barred certain "junk food" purchases from SNAP.
The bill would also prohibit made-to-order foods and drinks at eligible retailers from being purchased with benefits and would set a recertification schedule pegged to recipients’ birth months starting in 2027, according to local reporting.
What People Are Saying
State Representative Martin Momtahan, a Republican sponsor, said: “This bill is not about taking benefits away from eligible families. It is a bill about protecting the program so it remains sustainable, credible, and focused on the people that it was designed to serve."
State Representative Tangie Herring, a Democrat, said: “I support improving health outcomes for Georgia families, but HB 947 focuses on restricting what families can buy rather than addressing the food insecurity and food deserts and affordability."
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in December regarding SNAP waiver approvals for junk food restrictions: “President Trump has made it clear: We are restoring SNAP to its true purpose—nutrition. Under the MAHA [Make America Healthy Again] initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic diseases epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”
What Happens Next
The Georgia Senate will consider HB 947, and any amendments will return to the House for agreement before potential delivery to the governor.
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