Alabama Arise hunger policy advocate LaTrell Clifford Wood testified Wednesday before the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee in opposition to SB 57 by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur. SB 57 would restrict which foods can be bought in Alabama with food assistance benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Here is the full text of Clifford Wood’s prepared remarks:

Mr. Chairman and esteemed committee members, my name is LaTrell Clifford Wood, and I am a hunger policy advocate with Alabama Arise. I am also an appointee to the Joint Study Commission on Grocery Taxation.

Alabama Arise is a member-based organization, and our members voted strongly for us to oppose SB 57. We support policies to improve the health of low-income people and to expand access to food and health care. However, those goals are not achieved by a bill that comes with sanctions for people experiencing poverty and unclear costs for our state.

It is government overreach for Alabama to be in the business of telling people who are living in poverty what to eat. This bill would not achieve its stated ends, nor was its introduction supported by any research about consumer behavior.

People on SNAP have similar purchasing habits to the average consumer. And while SNAP is the most effective program this nation has seen when it comes to addressing hunger, it is a modest program. SNAP benefits average $6 a day, meaning they only supplement grocery budgets. This bill would increase state costs, as well as increase the tax burden on low-income households, without making any investments to improve consumer access to healthy food.

Since it was introduced, SB 57’s estimated cost to taxpayers has increased to $10.4 million. It also threatens to undermine vital steps we have taken toward eliminating the state sales tax on food.

To put that cost in perspective, $10 million is 21 times the amount lawmakers annually allocate to increase access to fresh produce and support local farmers through SNAP incentives like Double Up Bucks. And it is more than enough to ensure every public school student in Alabama can access a no-cost school breakfast. Both of these policies are proven to improve the long-term health of Alabamians. 

I ask that you vote no on this bill. Do not resort to experimenting on our low-income communities. Let’s focus on stabilizing SNAP under the state cost shift. I am open to meeting with any of you all to discuss how we might improve access to healthy food, and I thank you for your time.