AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY ENERGY DRINK CONSUMPTION BY CHILDREN AND REQUIRING CERTAIN SIGNAGE AT THE POINT OF SALE OF SUCH DRINKS.

House of Representatives
sHB5269 / File No. 13 1

General Assembly File No. 13
February Session, 2026 Substitute House Bill No. 5269

House of Representatives, March 11, 2026

The Committee on Children reported through REP. PARIS of
the 145th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the
House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY ENERGY
DRINK CONSUMPTION BY CHILDREN AND REQUIRING CERTAIN
SIGNAGE AT THE POINT OF SALE OF SUCH DRINKS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) For the purposes of this section, 1
(1) "energy drink" means a soft drink that contains (A) not less than 2
eighty milligrams of caffeine per nine fluid ounces, and (B) 3
methylxanthines, B vitamins, one or more herbal ingredients or an 4
ingredient labeled "energy blend", and (2) "social media" has the same 5
meaning as provided in section 9-601 of the general statutes. 6
(b) There is established a working group to (1) study the (A) health 7
risks associated with energy drink consumption by children, and (B) 8
anticipated effects of a prohibition on the sale of energy drinks to 9
children on (i) the state-wide sale of energy drinks, and (ii) public health, 10
and (2) make recommendations for (A) a public awareness campaign 11
concerning such risks that shall include, but need not be limited to, a 12
video recording for publication or broadcast on television and social 13
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sHB5269 / File No. 13 2

media, and (B) signage alerting consumers to such risks, to be posted at 14
the point of sale of energy drinks in retail establishments. 15
(c) The Commissioners of Public Health and Consumer Protection 16
shall jointly convene the working group, which shall include, but need 17
not be limited to, the chairpersons and ranking members of the General 18
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children and public 19
health, and the following additional members, who shall be selected 20
jointly by the commissioners: (1) An individual with expertise in 21
advertising and marketing, (2) the parent or guardian of a child who 22
experienced adverse health conditions or died due to the consumption 23
of energy drinks, (3) a pediatric cardiologist, (4) a representative of a 24
state-wide chapter of a national association of pediatricians, (5) a 25
representative of a state-wide governing body for interscholastic athletic 26
activities, (6) a representative of a children's hospital in the state, (7) a 27
representative of a state-wide association of food retailers, wholesalers, 28
distributors and service providers, (8) a representative of a 29
manufacturer of energy drinks, and (9) a licensed athletic trainer. The 30
Commissioners of Public Health and Consumer Protection, or the 31
commissioners' designees, shall serve as cochairpersons of the working 32
group. The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 33
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children 34
shall serve as administrative staff of the working group. 35
(d) Not later than November 1, 2026, the cochairpersons of the 36
working group shall submit a report on the working group's findings 37
and recommendations to the joint standing committees of the General 38
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children, public 39
health and consumer protection in accordance with the provisions of 40
section 11-4a of the general statutes. 41
Sec. 2. (NEW) ( Effective from passage ) (a) For the purposes of this 42
section, (1) "energy drink" means a soft drink that contains (A) not less 43
than eighty milligrams of caffeine per nine fluid ounces, and (B) 44
methylxanthines, B vitamins, one or more herbal ingredients or an 45
ingredient labeled "energy blend", and (2) "social media" has the same 46
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meaning as provided in section 9-601 of the general statutes. 47
(b) Not later than December 1, 2026, the Department of Consumer 48
Protection shall develop signage alerting consumers to the health risks 49
associated with energy drink consumption by children and make a 50
printable copy of such signage available on the department's Internet 51
web site. Such signage shall incorporate the recommendations 52
submitted by the working group established pursuant to section 1 of this 53
act. 54
(c) On and after January 1, 2027, each individual, firm, fiduciary, 55
partnership, corporation, limited liability company, trust or association 56
engaged in the business of selling energy drinks to retail consumers in 57
the state shall post the signage developed pursuant to subsection (b) of 58
this section in a conspicuous place at the point of sale of such energy 59
drinks. 60
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 from passage New section
Sec. 2 from passage New section

Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 1(b)(2)(B), "signage to be posted at the point of sale of energy
drinks in retail establishments alerting consumers to such risks" was
changed to "signage alerting consumers to such risks, to be posted at the
point of sale of energy drinks in retail establishments" for clarity, and in
Subsec. (d), "study" was changed to "findings" for clarity.

KID Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO

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The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill makes various changes regarding energy drinks and children
resulting in no fiscal impact to the state.
Section 1 creates a working group to study the risks associated with
energy drink consumption by children and the anticipated effects of a
prohibition on the sale of energy drinks to children resulting in no fiscal
impact because the working group has the expertise to meet the
requirements of the bill.
Section 2 requires the Department of Consumer Protection to
develop signage regarding the health risks of energy drink consumption
by children and requires any business that sells energy drinks to post
the signage resulting in no fiscal impact to the state.
The Out Years
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None

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OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 5269

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY ENERGY
DRINK CONSUMPTION BY CHILDREN AND REQUIRING CERTAIN
SIGNAGE AT THE POINT OF SALE OF SUCH DRINKS.

SUMMARY
This bill establishes a working group to (1) study the health risks
associated with children consuming energy drinks and effects of
banning the ir sale to children and (2) make recommendations on
informational material, including signs, about the risks. The group must
report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by
November 1, 2026.
The bill separately requires the Department of Consumer Protection
(DCP), by December 1, 2026, to (1) develop signage that incorporates the
working group’s recommendations and alerts consumers to the health
risks associated with children drinking energy drinks and (2) post a
printable copy of the signage on its website.
Beginning January 1, 202 7, it also requires retailers that sell energy
drinks to post the signage in a conspicuous place at their point of sale in
their establishments. This requirement applies to individuals, firms,
fiduciaries, partnerships, corporations, limited liability companies,
trusts, and associations that sell energy drinks.
Under the bill, an energy drink is a soft drink containing (1) at least
80 milligrams of caffeine per nine fluid ounces and (2) methylxanthines,
B vitamins, one or more herbal ingredients, or an ingredient labeled
“energy blend.”
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
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WORKING GROUP ON CHILDREN AND ENERGY DRINKS
Group Charge
The working group must study (1) the health risks associated with
children consuming energy drinks and (2) how banning the ir sale to
children would affect public health and statewide energy drink sales. It
must also make recommendations for (1) a public awareness campaign
on the health risks, including a video for television and social media ,
and (2) signage to be posted at the point of sale of energy drinks in retail
establishments to alert consumers to the risks.
Membership
Under the bill, t he Department of Public Health (DPH) and DCP
commissioners, or their designees , serve as co -chairpersons of the
working group, which they must convene.
The group also includes the Children and Public Health committees’
chairpersons and ranking members and at least the following people
selected jointly by the DPH and DCP commissioners:
1. an advertising and marketing expert;
2. a parent or guardian of a child who experienced adverse health
conditions or died from drinking energy drinks;
3. a pediatric cardiologist;
4. a national association of pediatricians’ statewide chapter
representative;
5. a statewide interscholastic athletic activity governing body
representative;
6. a children’s hospital representative;
7. a statewide association of food retailers, wholesalers,
distributors, and service providers representative;
8. an energy drinks manufacturer representative; and
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9. a licensed athletic trainer.
The Children Committee’s administrative staff must serve as the
group’s administrative staff.
Report Deadline
The working group’s co-chairpersons must submit a report on the
group’s findings and recommendations to the Children, Public Health,
and General Law committees by November 1, 2026.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Committee on Children
Joint Favorable
Yea 12 Nay 5 (03/03/2026)