H2496 • 2025

An Act prohibiting harmful food dyes in competitive school foods

Education

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Joseph D. McKenna
Last action: 2026-03-16
Official status: Accompanied a study order, see H5234
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act prohibiting harmful food dyes in competitive school foods

An Act prohibiting harmful food dyes in competitive school foods By Representative McKenna of Sutton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

An Act prohibiting harmful food dyes in competitive school foods By Representative McKenna of Sutton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
2496) of Joseph D.
McKenna relative to the sale or provision of certain competitive foods at schools.
Public Health.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-03-16 House
Accompanied a study order, see H5234
2025-09-10 Joint
Hearing rescheduled to 09/10/2025 from 10:00 AM-01:35 PM in B-2 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time
2025-08-29 Joint
Hearing scheduled for 09/10/2025 from 10:00 AM-1:00 PM in B-2
2025-02-27 House
Referred to the committee on Public Health
2025-02-27 Senate
Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act prohibiting harmful food dyes in competitive school foods
By Representative McKenna of Sutton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2496) of Joseph D. McKenna relative to the sale or provision of certain competitive foods at schools. Public Health.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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Bill H.2496

Section 223 of Chapter 111 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting the following subsections

“(h) Beginning December 31, 2028, from the midnight before to 30 minutes after the end of the school day, at each public-school competitive foods and non-sweetened carbonated water may not be sold or provided on school grounds if they contain any of the following substances:

(i) Blue 1 - CAS 3844-45-9,

(ii) Blue 2 - CAS 860-22-0,

(iii) Green 3 - CAS 2353-45-9,

(iv) Red 3 - CAS 16423-68-0,

(v) Red 40 - CAS 25956-17-6,

(vi) Yellow 5 - CAS 1934-21-0,

(vii) Yellow 6 - CAS 2783-94-0,

(i) A school may permit the sale or provision of competitive foods that do not comply with subsection (h) of this section if the sale of such items takes place:

(i) off and away from the premises of the school; or

(ii) on school premises at least one-half hour after the end of the school day; or

(iii) at booster sales, concession stands and other school-sponsored or school-related fundraisers and events.”

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