00                            SENATE BILL NO. 186                                                                         
01 "An Act relating to removing soft drinks from the food stamp program; and providing                                     
02 for an effective date."                                                                                                 
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. AS 47.25.990(2) is amended to read:                                                                   
05 (2)  "food" means any food or food product for human consumption                                                        
06 except alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, and tobacco and includes seeds and plants for                              
07 use in gardens to produce food for the personal consumption of the eligible household;                                  
08    * Sec. 2. AS 47.25.990 is amended by adding a new paragraph to read:                                               
09                 (5)  "soft drink" means a nonalcoholic beverage containing natural or                                   
10       artificial sweeteners; "soft drink" does not include beverages that contain milk, milk                            
11       products, soy, rice, or other milk substitutes, or greater than 50 percent vegetable or                           
12       fruit juice by volume.                                                                                            
13    * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                          
14 read:                                                                                                                   

01       WAIVER. The Department of Health shall, as necessary for federal approval, submit a                               
02 request to the food and nutrition service of the United States Department of Agriculture for                            
03 any waiver necessary to implement secs. 1 and 2 of this Act.                                                            
04    * Sec. 4. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                          
05 read:                                                                                                                   
06       CONDITIONAL EFFECT; NOTIFICATION. (a) Sections 1 and 2 of this Act take                                           
07 effect only if, on or before July 1, 2027, the United States Department of Agriculture                                  
08            (1)  approves the waiver to the state program submitted in accordance with sec.                              
09 3 of this Act; or                                                                                                       
10            (2)  determines that approval of the waiver to the state program submitted in                                
11 accordance with sec. 3 of this Act is not necessary.                                                                    
12       (b)  The commissioner of health shall notify the revisor of statutes in writing within 30                         
13 days after the United States Department of Agriculture approves the waiver to the state                                 
14 program or determines that approval of the waiver is not necessary under this section.                                  
15    * Sec. 5. If secs. 1 and 2 of this Act take effect, they take effect on the day after the date the                 
16 United States Department of Agriculture approves the waiver to the state program or                                     
17 determines that approval of the waiver is not necessary.