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SB187 • 2026

SCHOOL NUTRITION/MEAL: PROHIBIT FOOD DYES

An Act prohibiting certain food additives in public school meals; and providing for an effective date.

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI REPRESENTATIVES Josephson, Holland, Frier, Eischeid, Galvin, Schrage
Last action
2026-06-19
Official status
CHAPTER 17 SLA 26
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source confirms the list of seven dyes and their chemical numbers, supporting the summary details.

Alaska Law Banning Certain Food Dyes in School Meals

This law stops public schools from serving breakfast or lunch items that contain seven specific artificial food dyes starting on January 1, 2028.

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibits public schools from serving foods with certain color additives during school meals.
  • Lists seven banned dyes including Red Dye No. 3, Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5, and others.
  • Applies only to breakfast or lunch provided by the school to enrolled students on a school day.
  • Sets an effective date of January 1, 2028.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public schools in Alaska that serve meals
  • Students who eat breakfast or lunch at public schools

Terms To Know

Food additives
Substances added to food, such as color dyes.
Certified by the FDA
Approved and listed by the United States Food and Drug Administration for use in foods under 21 U.S.C. 379e.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not say what happens if a school breaks this rule.
  • It only covers meals served during the school day, not snacks or food sold outside of meal programs.
  • The text lists specific dyes by name and number but does not explain why these were chosen.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-19 3023

    (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW 1/1/28

  2. 2026-06-19 3023

    (S) LAW W/O GOV SIGNATURE 6/18 CH 17 SLA 26

  3. 2026-06-04 2961

    (S) 10:14 A.M. 6/1/26 TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR

  4. 2026-05-15 2625

    (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): GALVIN, SCHRAGE

  5. 2026-05-15 2623

    (H) VERSION: CSSB 187(EDC)

  6. 2026-05-15 2623

    (H) RETURN TO (S), TRANSMIT TO GOV NEXT

  7. 2026-05-15 2622

    (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  8. 2026-05-15 2622

    (H) PASSED Y40

  9. 2026-05-15 2622

    (H) READ THE THIRD TIME CSSB 187(EDC)

  10. 2026-05-14 2597

    (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/15 CALENDAR

  11. 2026-05-14 2596

    (H) READ THE SECOND TIME

  12. 2026-05-14 2573

    (H) MOVED TO BOTTOM OF CALENDAR

  13. 2026-05-14 2573

    (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/14/2026

  14. 2026-05-04 Text

    (H) Moved CSSB 187(EDC) Out of Committee

  15. 2026-05-04 Text

    (H) EDUCATION at 08:00 AM DAVIS 106

  16. 2026-05-04 2393

    (H) FN1: ZERO(EED)

  17. 2026-05-04 2393

    (H) NR: SCHWANKE, UNDERWOOD

  18. 2026-05-04 2393

    (H) DP: EISCHEID, DIBERT, HIMSCHOOT, STORY

  19. 2026-05-04 2393

    (H) EDC RPT 4DP 2NR

  20. 2026-04-30 2365

    (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): EISCHEID

  21. 2026-04-27 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  22. 2026-04-27 Text

    (H) EDUCATION at 08:00 AM DAVIS 106

  23. 2026-04-24 2293

    (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): FRIER

  24. 2026-04-22 2264

    (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): JOSEPHSON, HOLLAND

  25. 2026-04-21 2239

    (H) EDC

  26. 2026-04-21 2239

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  27. 2026-04-20 2292

    (S) VERSION: CSSB 187(EDC)

  28. 2026-04-20 2292

    (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)

  29. 2026-04-20 2287

    (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  30. 2026-04-20 2287

    (S) PASSED Y19 N- E1

  31. 2026-04-20 2286

    (S) READ THE THIRD TIME CSSB 187(EDC)

  32. 2026-04-16 2262

    (S) NOT TAKEN UP 4/16 - ON 4/20 CALENDAR

  33. 2026-04-15 2249

    (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 4/16 CAL

  34. 2026-04-15 2249

    (S) EDC CS ADOPTED UC

  35. 2026-04-15 2249

    (S) READ THE SECOND TIME

  36. 2026-04-15 2249

    (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 4/15/2026

  37. 2026-04-15 2246

    (S) FN1: ZERO(EED)

  38. 2026-04-15 2246

    (S) DP: TOBIN, GIESSEL

  39. 2026-04-15 2246

    (S) NR: DUNBAR, MYERS

  40. 2026-04-15 2246

    (S) HSS RPT CS(EDC) 2NR 2DP

  41. 2026-04-14 Text

    (S) Moved CSSB 187(EDC) Out of Committee

  42. 2026-04-14 Text

    (S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  43. 2026-04-07 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  44. 2026-04-07 Text

    (S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  45. 2026-03-23 2025

    (S) FN1: ZERO(EED)

  46. 2026-03-23 2025

    (S) DNP: BJORKMAN

  47. 2026-03-23 2025

    (S) DP: YUNDT, STEVENS

  48. 2026-03-23 2025

    (S) NR: TOBIN, KIEHL

  49. 2026-03-23 2025

    (S) EDC RPT CS 2NR 2DP 1DNP SAME TITLE

  50. 2026-03-20 Text

    (S) Moved CSSB 187(EDC) Out of Committee

  51. 2026-03-20 Text

    (S) EDUCATION at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  52. 2026-02-25 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  53. 2026-02-25 Text

    (S) EDUCATION at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  54. 2025-04-25 954

    (S) EDC, HSS

  55. 2025-04-25 954

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

SCHOOL NUTRITION/MEAL: PROHIBIT FOOD DYES
An Act prohibiting certain food additives in public school meals; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Enrolled SB 187
LAWS OF ALASKA

2026

Source Chapter No.
CSSB 187(EDC) _______

AN ACT

Prohibiting certain food additives in public school meals; and providing for an effective date.

_______________

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

THE ACT FOLLOWS ON PAGE 1

-1- Enrolled SB 187

AN ACT

Prohibiting certain food additives in public school meals; and providing for an effective date. 1
_______________ 2
* Section 1. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: 3
Sec. 14.03.087. Prohibited food additives. A public school may not serve, as 4
part of a breakfast or lunch provided by the school to enrolled students during a school 5
day, a food or beverage that contains any of the following color additives certified by 6
the United States Food and Drug Administration under 21 U.S.C. 379e: 7
(1) red dye 3 (U.S. Chemical Abstracts Service no. 16423-68-0); 8
(2) red dye 40 (U.S. Chemical Abstracts Service no. 25956-17-6); 9
(3) yellow dye 5 (U.S. Chemical Abstracts Service no. 1934-21-0); 10
(4) yellow dye 6 (U.S. Chemical Abstracts Service no. 2783-94-0); 11
(5) blue dye 1 (U.S. Chemical Abstracts Service no. 3844-45-9); 12
(6) blue dye 2 (U.S. Chemical Abstracts Service no. 860-22-0); or 13

Enrolled SB 187 -2-
(7) green dye 3 (U.S. Chemical Abstracts Service no. 2353-45-9). 1
* Sec. 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2028. 2