SB-869 • 2026

Restaurant menus: added sugar warnings.

Crime Education

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Weber Pierson
Last action: 2026-06-04
Official status: Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how the state defines high added sugar content or which local health agencies will enforce the new rules.

Restaurant Menus: Added Sugar Warnings

This law requires chain restaurants to display an icon next to drinks with high added sugar content and provide a warning statement about it.

What This Bill Does

Requires chain restaurants to add an icon near menu items that have high amounts of added sugar by January 1, 2028.
Chain restaurants must also display a clear statement explaining the meaning of the added sugar icon at the place where customers order drinks.

Who It Names or Affects

Chain restaurants that offer standard menu beverage items with high amounts of added sugar.

Terms To Know

chain restaurant: A restaurant that is part of a larger group or company and has the same name and style as other similar places.
added sugar icon: A special symbol placed next to drinks on menus that have high amounts of added sugar.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify which local health agencies will be responsible for enforcing these new rules.
It is unclear how the state will define 'high added sugar content' for menu items.

Bill History

2026-06-04 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2026-05-27 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
2026-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 29. Noes 4.) Ordered to the Assembly.
2026-05-14 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2026-05-14 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (May 14).
2026-05-08 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing May 14.
2026-04-20 California Legislative Information
April 20 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2026-04-14 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 20.
2026-04-13 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-04-09 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0. Page 3793.) (April 8).
2026-03-26 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 8.
2026-03-25 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2026-03-18 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
2026-02-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on RLS.
2026-01-06 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 5.
2026-01-05 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 869, as amended, Weber Pierson.
Restaurant menus: added sugar warnings.
Existing law, the California Retail Food Code, establishes uniform health and sanitation standards for, and provides for regulation by the State Department of Public Health of, retail food facilities, and requires local health agencies to enforce those provisions. Existing law makes a person who violates a provision of the code guilty of a misdemeanor. Existing law requires certain food facilities to provide written notification of the major food allergens that the food facility knows or reasonably should know are contained as an ingredient in each menu item, either directly on its menu or in a digital format, as specified.
This bill, on or before January 1, 2028, would require a chain restaurant offering a standard menu beverage item with high added sugar content, as defined, to display on its menus an added sugar icon immediately adjacent to
each standard menu beverage item with high added sugar content, as specified. The bill would require those chain restaurants to display at the point of selection a specified factual warning statement explaining the added sugar icon. By expanding the scope of an existing crime and by imposing new duties on local health officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by
the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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