Nevada officials said they are preparing requests for federal waivers that would restrict what recipients can buy using SNAP benefits, including sugary drinks and certain candies, as the state also weighs changes tied to broader federal SNAP rules.
During a legislative meeting Tuesday, state officials with the Division of Social Services confirmed that they are planning a waiver aimed at restricting SNAP purchases. Officials said the waiver would take effect in 2028, and they said they are also developing a separate request to expand what types of hot foods recipients would be allowed to buy.
Under the proposals discussed at the Interim Committee on Health and Human Services meeting, Nevada would seek federal permission to prohibit using benefits for sugary and energy drinks and certain candies. State officials also said Nevada is asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow SNAP recipients to buy additional hot foods, such as rotisserie chicken.
Officials said the requests were still being worked on and had not been finalized. They also said retailers have been part of discussions around what changes would mean for SNAP purchases, and that funding would be needed to roll out the waiver requirements.
Robert Thompson, the administrator of the agency overseeing SNAP, told lawmakers that Nevada has been looking at a waiver to prohibit using benefits for sugary drinks since former Gov. Steve Sisolak’s administration. Thompson also described that Nevada, more recently, has discussed extending the idea to include energy drinks and candies that are 100% sugar, such as gummy bears.
Kelly Cantrelle, deputy administrator for the Division of Social Services, said Nevada is asking for its waiver to wait until 2028 rather than taking effect earlier. She said, “This is not an easy lift,” adding that it “is going to take time.”
Lawmakers raised questions about the process. Sen. Fabian Doñate, D-Las Vegas, criticized what he described as a lack of legislative input, saying, “The question is not whether we should restrict certain foods.” He said the “greater question is … the executive branch taking action … without legislative input in terms of restricting public benefits.”
Senate Minority Leader Robin Titus, R-Wellington, who is a physician, said she was “excited” about the efforts. She said, “It’s not unheard of that we’re actually trying to get people to buy into healthy lifestyles.”
The proposals come after the USDA approved similar waiver requests in 2025 from 18 other states. The report said almost all of those states had Republican governors, and that the waivers were set to take effect in 2026, while Nevada is seeking a later start for its own changes.
The state’s waiver planning also coincides with changes to SNAP, which helps low-income individuals offset food costs. The report said the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Donald Trump last year, requires Nevada to cover more administrative costs and could require the state to foot the bill for certain benefits, while tens of thousands of Nevadans face uncertainty due to new SNAP work requirements.