--- title: HB 25. Dignity is Essential Act; enact collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hb25 cite_as: HB 25, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb25 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb25.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb25/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69305 date: 2025-01-15 status: introduced corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb24.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb26.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 129 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb25.md?full=1 bill_number: HB 25 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-01-13 last_action: House Second Readers sponsors: - Sandra Scott - Viola Davis - Kim Schofield text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB25/2025 upstream_id: 1916694 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - public assistance - SNAP benefits - WIC program - diapers and menstrual products - food assistance policy --- # HB 25. Dignity is Essential Act; enact ## Text House Bill 25 By: Representatives Scott of the 76th, Davis of the 87th, and Schofield of the 63rd A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Article 1 of Chapter 4 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to public assistance generally, so as to provide for the submission of a waiver request by the Department of Human Services to permit the recipients of certain public assistance benefits to use such benefits for the purpose of purchasing diapers or menstrual hygiene products if the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service makes such waiver available to states; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Dignity is Essential Act." SECTION 2. Article 1 of Chapter 4 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to public assistance generally, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows: "49-4-23. If the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service creates and makes available to the states a waiver permitting recipients of benefits provided under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children to use their benefits to purchase diapers or menstrual hygiene products, such as tampons, sanitary napkins, and feminine wipes, then the Department of Human Services shall apply for such waiver. If the United States Department of Agriculture approves such waiver application, then the Department of Human Services shall adopt rules and make other changes as necessary to implement the approved waiver." SECTION 3. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary. House Bill 25 would require Georgia's Department of Human Services to apply for a federal waiver allowing SNAP and WIC recipients to use their benefits to buy diapers or menstrual products, if the federal government ever offers one. ### Plain-language summary Currently, federal food assistance programs like SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and WIC (the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) restrict what recipients can buy with their benefits, and diapers and menstrual products are not covered. This bill, titled the "Dignity is Essential Act," adds a new section to Georgia law addressing that gap. The bill does not change what SNAP or WIC benefits can buy on its own, since that is controlled by federal rules. Instead, it says that if the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service ever creates a waiver letting states allow recipients to use benefits for diapers or menstrual hygiene products such as tampons, sanitary napkins, and feminine wipes, then Georgia's Department of Human Services must apply for that waiver. If the federal government approves Georgia's application, the department must then write the rules needed to put the waiver into effect. ### What it does - Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 49-4-23) requiring the Department of Human Services to apply for a federal waiver if one becomes available for diapers or menstrual products. - Names diapers, tampons, sanitary napkins, and feminine wipes as the specific products covered if the waiver is created and approved. - Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt rules to implement the waiver once the federal government approves Georgia's application. - Sets the short title of the bill as the "Dignity is Essential Act." ### Who it affects Georgia recipients of SNAP and WIC benefits, particularly parents of young children and people who menstruate, along with the Department of Human Services, which would be required to apply for and administer the waiver if the federal government offers one. ### Why it matters If the federal government eventually allows states to expand SNAP or WIC purchases to include diapers and menstrual products, this bill would make sure Georgia automatically applies rather than leaving that decision to future action, potentially giving low-income families another way to afford these necessities. ### Key provisions - Section 1 sets the short title as the 'Dignity is Essential Act.' - Section 2 adds O.C.G.A. § 49-4-23, requiring the Department of Human Services to apply for a USDA waiver covering diapers or menstrual hygiene products for SNAP and WIC recipients, but only if USDA first makes such a waiver available to states. - Section 2 also requires the department to adopt implementing rules if USDA approves Georgia's waiver application. - Section 3 repeals conflicting laws. ## Status - Status: Introduced (2025-01-13) - Last action: House Second Readers (2025-01-15) - Sponsors: Sandra Scott, Viola Davis, Kim Schofield - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69305 > The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb25.md?full=1