Public assistance; Department of Human Resources required to request waiver to prohibit the purchase of soda, energy drinks, candy, and processed desserts with SNAP benefits, implementation of prohibition provided for

This bill requires Alabama's Department of Human Resources to request a federal waiver from the USDA to prohibit SNAP benefits from being used to purchase soda, energy drinks, candy, and prepared desserts. If approved, the state would ban SNAP recipients from buying these items with their benefits starting October 1, 2026. The department must annually reapply for the waiver if initially denied, until approval is granted. This directly affects Alabama SNAP recipients by potentially restricting their food purchasing options and places responsibility on the state agency to pursue the federal waiver.