Two bills filed by South Texas Democrats would prohibit individuals from using the state’s food stamp program to purchase energy drinks and junk food such as candy, chips and cookies.

Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (formerly known as food stamps) is a needs-based program to assist Texans who work more than 20 hours a week or are disabled or pregnant buy groceries. More than 4.1 million Texans utilize the program as of December, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

Current restrictions on SNAP purchases include alcohol and tobacco products, vitamins and medicines and hot food.

State Rep. Terry Canales of Edinburg  filed HB 523, which defines “energy drink” as a beverage containing 65 milligrams of caffeine per 8 fluid ounces designed to increase mental or physical energy. Coffee-based beverages are exempt from the restriction.

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Legislation filed for creation of University of Texas Super System

Legislation was filed Monday at the Texas Capitol that calls for the creation of a new University of Texas super system, complete with a state-of-the-art medical school, that aims improve life in the Rio Grande Valley, says Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, an author of House Bill 1000.

Under the legislation, UTPA, with an enrollment approaching 20,000, would remain the dominant academic component in the new system, which calls for it to merge with the University of Texas at Brownsville.

The UT System also will commission an independent study to determine where a long-sought medical education dream, the “South Texas School of Medicine”, as currently named by state lawmakers, would be located, Canales said.

(The final name of the medical school and new university system would be determined at a later date by the UT System Board of Regents.)

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Bills seek to take junk food, energy drinks off food stamp program

Two new bills would make it difficult for people who get government assistance to buy for junk food and energy drinks for their kids.

"Energy drinks are potentially dangerous for children," said Texas State Representative Terry Canales of Edinburg.

Canales authored HB 523 which would prevent those on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program from buying energy drinks.

"There's nothing nutritious or healthy about these products and in fact they're potentially dangerous to children," Canales said. "We don't believe you should be able to use government funds to buy them."

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On Monday, the Rio Grande Valley Legislative delegation will file legislation to create a new University of Texas System university with a medical school in South Texas.

University of Texas-Brownsville President Juliet Garcia wasn’t expecting a mention of legislation granting her school and UT-Pan American access to the Permanent University Fund in the State of the State address. But she said hearing Gov. Rick Perry support the idea Tuesday in Austin was a “fantastic” surprise.

Fallen DPS trooper Eduardo Chávez could have segment of U.S. 83 named in his honor by Legislature.

University of Texas System regents will consider a set of $800 million in bond projects at a meeting Wednesday, including a new science building at UT-Pan American and a new campus at UT-Brownsville.

Hidalgo County’s newest state representatives won’t feel out of place.

Standing with leaders from the University of Texas System and local universities Friday, area legislators said they would do whatever it took to win the two-thirds approval of state lawmakers for a new Rio Grande Valley university.