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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
2026-05-16
Official status
RTN TO (S) GOV NEXT
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official bill text provides detailed information about the specific food dyes that are prohibited but does not provide details on enforcement or support for compliance.

Ban on Certain Food Dyes in School Meals

This act bans the use of specific artificial food dyes in meals served by public schools to students during school days.

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibits public schools from serving any meal that contains certain artificial colorings certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
  • Lists seven specific types of artificial food dyes that are not allowed in school meals, including red dye 3, red dye 40, yellow dye 5, yellow dye 6, blue dye 1, blue dye 2, and green dye 3.
  • Requires these restrictions to start on January 1, 2028.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public schools and the students they serve during meal times.

Terms To Know

Certified color additives
Food dyes that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in food products.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what will happen if a school violates this rule.
  • It is unclear how schools will be supported to comply with these new restrictions.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-16 2680

    (S) AWAITING TRANSMITTAL TO GOV

  2. 2026-05-15 2625

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

  3. 2026-05-15 2623

    (H) VERSION: CSSB 187(EDC)

  4. 2026-05-15 2623

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

  5. 2026-05-15 2622

    (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  6. 2026-05-15 2622

    (H) PASSED Y40

  7. 2026-05-15 2622

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

  8. 2026-05-14 2597

    (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/15 CALENDAR

  9. 2026-05-14 2596

    (H) READ THE SECOND TIME

  10. 2026-05-14 2573

    (H) MOVED TO BOTTOM OF CALENDAR

  11. 2026-05-14 2573

    (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/14/2026

  12. 2026-05-14 Alaska State Legislature

    (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/15 CALENDAR

  13. 2026-05-04 Text

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

  14. 2026-05-04 Text

    (H) EDUCATION at 08:00 AM DAVIS 106

  15. 2026-05-04 2393

    (H) FN1: ZERO(EED)

  16. 2026-05-04 2393

    (H) NR: SCHWANKE, UNDERWOOD

  17. 2026-05-04 2393

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

  18. 2026-05-04 2393

    (H) EDC RPT 4DP 2NR

  19. 2026-04-30 2365

    (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): EISCHEID

  20. 2026-04-27 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  21. 2026-04-27 Text

    (H) EDUCATION at 08:00 AM DAVIS 106

  22. 2026-04-24 2293

    (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): FRIER

  23. 2026-04-22 2264

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

  24. 2026-04-21 2239

    (H) EDC

  25. 2026-04-21 2239

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  26. 2026-04-20 2292

    (S) VERSION: CSSB 187(EDC)

  27. 2026-04-20 2292

    (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)

  28. 2026-04-20 2287

    (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  29. 2026-04-20 2287

    (S) PASSED Y19 N- E1

  30. 2026-04-20 2286

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

  31. 2026-04-16 2262

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

  32. 2026-04-15 2249

    (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 4/16 CAL

  33. 2026-04-15 2249

    (S) EDC CS ADOPTED UC

  34. 2026-04-15 2249

    (S) READ THE SECOND TIME

  35. 2026-04-15 2249

    (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 4/15/2026

  36. 2026-04-15 2246

    (S) FN1: ZERO(EED)

  37. 2026-04-15 2246

    (S) DP: TOBIN, GIESSEL

  38. 2026-04-15 2246

    (S) NR: DUNBAR, MYERS

  39. 2026-04-15 2246

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

  40. 2026-04-14 Text

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

  41. 2026-04-14 Text

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

  42. 2026-04-07 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  43. 2026-04-07 Text

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

  44. 2026-03-23 2025

    (S) FN1: ZERO(EED)

  45. 2026-03-23 2025

    (S) DNP: BJORKMAN

  46. 2026-03-23 2025

    (S) DP: YUNDT, STEVENS

  47. 2026-03-23 2025

    (S) NR: TOBIN, KIEHL

  48. 2026-03-23 2025

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

  49. 2026-03-20 Text

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

  50. 2026-03-20 Text

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

  51. 2026-02-25 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  52. 2026-02-25 Text

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

  53. 2025-04-25 954

    (S) EDC, HSS

  54. 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