Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins signed a waiver to amend which foods and beverages will be available for purchase under Nebraska’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Residents will no longer be able to purchase soda and energy drinks using their SNAP benefits.

Nebraska lawmakers upheld a lifetime ban on SNAP benefits for felons with drug convictions. LB 319 was six votes short of becoming law.

Nebraska has become the first state in the nation to restrict low-income recipients of public grocery aid from using SNAP benefits to buy soda and energy drinks. The ban related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was announced Monday during a daylong visit to the Cornhusker state by U.