By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
MONTGOMERY — Families who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may soon be able to use their benefits for hot rotisserie chickens under a bill filed in the Alabama Legislature.
Rep. Donna Givens (R-Loxley) pre-filed the measure for the 2026 session. It would require the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) to request a federal waiver allowing SNAP recipients to purchase hot, ready-to-eat chickens. Current federal rules limit eligibility to cold rotisserie chickens with nutrition labels.
Healthy and Practical
Givens said the idea came from agriculture commissioner candidate Christina Woerner McInnis and reflects her own experience as a working mother.
“It’s certainly a healthy option for children as well as entire families,” Givens said.
SNAP served an average of 376,000 Alabama households — about 752,000 people — in 2024, underscoring the potential reach of the change.
Givens also framed the bill as support for Alabama’s poultry industry, building on the Sweet Grown Alabama programthat highlights locally produced food.
Next Steps and Wider Debate
DHR spokesperson Kathryn Shoupe said the agency has not yet reviewed the bill but will before the session begins Jan. 13.
Meanwhile, other lawmakers are pushing different SNAP reforms. Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) has suggested banning soda, candy, and desserts from SNAP purchases, citing obesity and health concerns.
At the same time, DHR is working to lower its payment error rate. Under the new One Big Beautiful Act, states will soon bear more of SNAP’s costs. Beginning in 2027, Alabama will cover 75% of administrative expenses, and by 2028, states with higher error rates will also pay part of benefit costs.