Christopher Lee Kapenga President of the Wisconsin Senate | Official Website
Christopher Lee Kapenga President of the Wisconsin Senate | Official Website
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "requiring the Department of Health Services to seek any necessary waiver to prohibit the purchase of candy or soft drinks with FoodShare benefits. (FE)".
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to seek a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prohibit FoodShare benefits, the state's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, from being used to purchase candy or soft drinks. If the waiver is approved, the department must implement the prohibition. If the initial request is denied, the department is required to resubmit the waiver request annually until approval is obtained. The bill aims to change the list of eligible foods under the federal food stamp program, aligning with existing definitions for candy and soft drinks as specified in state statutes.
The bill was co-authored by Representative Clint P. Moses (Republican-92nd District), Senator Steve L. Nass (Republican-11th District), Senator Cory Tomczyk (Republican-29th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Scott Allen (Republican-82nd District), Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), and Representative Calvin T. Callahan (Republican-35th District), along 12 other co-sponsors.
Chris Kapenga has authored or co-authored another nine bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.
Kapenga graduated from Calvin College in 1994 with a BA.
Kapenga, a Republican, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2015 to represent the state's 33rd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Paul Farrow.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| SB154 | 03/21/2025 | Requiring the Department of Health Services to seek any necessary waiver to prohibit the purchase of candy or soft drinks with FoodShare benefits. (FE) |
| SB81 | 02/26/2025 | School district operating referenda |
| SB4 | 01/24/2025 | Agreements for direct primary care |
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