The Iowa Senate passed the Make America Healthy Again Act, introducing continued restrictions on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program purchases and measures aimed at improving health and nutrition. Sen. Kara Warme, R-Ames, said, “The Iowa MAHA Bill aims to refocus our efforts to improve nutrition and physical activity with a focus on children starting young and building healthy habits.” The bill includes several items, such as prohibiting families using SNAP food assistance from purchasing unhealthy items like soda and candy. It also prevents schools from serving food and drinks containing certain artificial dyes and additives, limits screen time for some students, requires more physical education, and allows Iowans to buy the controversial drug Ivermectin over the counter without a prescription. Sen. Molly Donahue, D-Marion, criticized the legislation, saying, “This bill promotes use of Ivermectin and makes it harder for working families to access SNAP. It shifts burdens downward, reduces accountability. Ask Iowans to do more with less. Once again.” Senate Democrats argued that the bill does not address food insecurity. “If we truly want to make Iowans healthier, then we need to help them make better choices. And that needs to be based on nutrition, not on just taxable status of food items in the grocery store,” said Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines. Despite opposition, Republicans outvoted Democrats to pass the bill. “We are leading here because we care about kids in our state, and not everything that we do to improve health or education comes from throwing more money at it,” Warme said. The Make America Healthy Again Act has already passed the Iowa House and now heads to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office. Reynolds proposed the legislation, making it likely she will sign it into law.
DES MOINES, Iowa —
The Iowa Senate passed the Make America Healthy Again Act, introducing continued restrictions on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program purchases and measures aimed at improving health and nutrition.
Sen. Kara Warme, R-Ames, said, “The Iowa MAHA Bill aims to refocus our efforts to improve nutrition and physical activity with a focus on children starting young and building healthy habits.”
The bill includes several items, such as prohibiting families using SNAP food assistance from purchasing unhealthy items like soda and candy. It also prevents schools from serving food and drinks containing certain artificial dyes and additives, limits screen time for some students, requires more physical education, and allows Iowans to buy the controversial drug Ivermectin over the counter without a prescription.
Sen. Molly Donahue, D-Marion, criticized the legislation, saying, “This bill promotes use of Ivermectin and makes it harder for working families to access SNAP. It shifts burdens downward, reduces accountability. Ask Iowans to do more with less. Once again.”
Senate Democrats argued that the bill does not address food insecurity.
“If we truly want to make Iowans healthier, then we need to help them make better choices. And that needs to be based on nutrition, not on just taxable status of food items in the grocery store,” said Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines.
Despite opposition, Republicans outvoted Democrats to pass the bill.
“We are leading here because we care about kids in our state, and not everything that we do to improve health or education comes from throwing more money at it,” Warme said.
The Make America Healthy Again Act has already passed the Iowa House and now heads to Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office. Reynolds proposed the legislation, making it likely she will sign it into law.