HB4787 - Relating to prohibiting certain additives from being included in food and drinks provided by school districts or purchased under the supplemental nutrition assistance program.

  89R16994 AB-D     By: Shofner H.B. No. 4787       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to prohibiting certain additives from being included in   food and drinks provided by school districts or purchased under the   supplemental nutrition assistance program.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 33, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 33.9011 to read as follows:           Sec.   33.9011.     PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN ADDITIVES IN FOOD AND   DRINKS PROVIDED BY SCHOOLS. A school district or open-enrollment   charter school that provides meals to students may not provide any   food or drink that contains the following substances:                 (1)  red 3 (CAS 16423-68-0);                 (2)  red 40 (CAS 25956-17-6);                 (3)  yellow 5 (CAS 1934-21-0);                 (4)  yellow 6 (CAS 2783-94-0);                 (5)  blue 1 (CAS 3844-45-9);                 (6)  blue 2 (CAS 860-22-0);                 (7)  green 3 (CAS 2353-45-9);                 (8)  citrus red dye 2 (CAS 6358-53-8); or                 (9)  orange B dye (CAS 15139-76-1).          SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 33, Human Resources Code,   is amended by adding Section 33.031 to read as follows:           Sec.   33.031.     PURCHASE OF FOOD AND DRINK ITEMS CONTAINING   CERTAIN FOOD ADDITIVES PROHIBITED UNDER SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION   ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. Except as expressly required by federal law, a   recipient of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits   may not use those benefits to purchase any food or drink item that   contains the following substances:                 (1)  red 3 (CAS 16423-68-0);                 (2)  red 40 (CAS 25956-17-6);                 (3)  yellow 5 (CAS 1934-21-0);                 (4)  yellow 6 (CAS 2783-94-0);                 (5)  blue 1 (CAS 3844-45-9);                 (6)  blue 2 (CAS 860-22-0);                 (7)  green 3 (CAS 2353-45-9);                 (8)  citrus red dye 2 (CAS 6358-53-8); or                 (9)  orange B dye (CAS 15139-76-1).          SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 2027-2028   school year.          SECTION 4.  If before implementing any provision of this Act   a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a   federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,   the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or   authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the   waiver or authorization is granted.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.