# Arkansas SB217: TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO REQUEST A WAIVER TO EXCLUDE CANDY AND SOFT DRINKS FROM ELIGIBLE FOODS UNDER THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

Arkansas SB217, TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO REQUEST A WAIVER TO EXCLUDE CANDY AND SOFT DRINKS FROM ELIGIBLE FOODS UNDER THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Mary Bentley (Republican), Clint Penzo (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-22 (Notification that SB217 is now Act 969); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB217-2025
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Arkansas SB217
- State: Arkansas
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO REQUEST A WAIVER TO EXCLUDE CANDY AND SOFT DRINKS FROM ELIGIBLE FOODS UNDER THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
- Status: enacted
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-02-11
- Last action: 2025-04-22, Notification that SB217 is now Act 969
- Sponsors: Mary Bentley (Republican), Clint Penzo (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (107 yes, 21 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mary Bentley (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Clint Penzo (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-16 | House | House Vote - Wednesday, April 16, 2025 11:33:15 AM | pass | 78 | 17 | 1 |
| 2025-04-08 | Senate | Senate Vote - Tuesday, April 8, 2025 2:13:23 PM | pass | 29 | 4 | 2 |

## Actions (18)

- 2025-04-22: Notification that SB217 is now Act 969 (Senate)
- 2025-04-16: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate)
- 2025-04-16: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate)
- 2025-04-16: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate)
- 2025-04-16: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate)
- 2025-04-16: Returned to the Senate as passed. (House)
- 2025-04-16: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House)
- 2025-04-15: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House)
- 2025-04-08: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE- HOUSE (House)
- 2025-04-08: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House)
- 2025-04-08: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Read the third time and passed. (Senate)
- 2025-04-07: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (Senate)
- 2025-04-07: Amendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed. (Senate)
- 2025-04-07: Placed on second reading for purpose of amendment. (Senate)
- 2025-04-03: Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it Do Pass as amended, Amendment # 1 (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE - SENATE (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: Filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB217 - Introduced, 2025-02-11: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB217.pdf)
- Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=969.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R)

## Related bills

- HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted)
- HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (failed)
- HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO SET PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THE PROHIBITION OF SOLICITATION OF INJURED INDIV… (failed)
- SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES. (failed)
- HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO ALLOW A MUNICIPALITY TO PETITION TO SET ASIDE THE SALE OF PROPERTY TO CERTAIN P… (failed)
- HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO REQUIRE THAT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE SELECTED A… (failed)

## Sources
- [SB217 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB217.pdf)
- [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=969.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R)

## Related
- [HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1265-2025)
- [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025)
- [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025)
- [SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE US…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB440-2025)
- [HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1695-2025)
- [HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HR1012-2025)
- [Arkansas bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas/bills)
- [Arkansas state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB217-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).