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HB0134 • 2026

Local Education Agencies

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to student nutrition.

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Davis, Bowling
Last action
2025-05-27
Official status
Effective date(s) 05/21/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not mention exceptions for fundraising events, so the claim about allowing sales during such events was removed.

Ban on Red Dye in School Foods

This bill requires local education agencies and charter schools to stop selling or providing food containing Allura Red AC (Red Dye No. 40) to students through the school nutrition program starting August 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires LEAs and public charter schools to not sell or provide food containing Allura Red AC (also known as Red Dye No. 40) to students on school property from August 1, 2027.
  • Applies the ban to all food sold through vending machines, meals, snacks, and other sources provided by the school or authorized third parties through the school nutrition program.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local education agencies (LEAs) in Tennessee
  • Public charter schools in Tennessee

Terms To Know

Allura Red AC
A food coloring also known as Red Dye No. 40, which is banned from being sold or provided to students starting August 1, 2027.
Local Education Agencies (LEAs)
School districts that are responsible for providing education and managing schools in Tennessee.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what will happen if a school violates the ban.
  • It is unclear how strictly third-party vendors will be regulated to comply with this law.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0134

Plain English: This amendment adds a new section to Tennessee Code Annotated that bans schools from selling or providing certain red food dye (Red 40) in their nutrition programs starting August 1, 2027.

  • Adds a new law requiring Local Education Agencies and public charter schools to stop selling or offering foods with Allura Red AC (also known as Red 40) through school nutrition programs after August 1, 2027.
  • The amendment does not specify what will happen if a school violates this new rule.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 05/21/2025

  2. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 476

  3. 2025-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 476

  4. 2025-05-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-05-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-05-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-04-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 33, Nays 0

  10. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  11. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  12. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  13. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/21/2025

  14. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  15. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  16. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 88, Nays 5, PNV 0

  17. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  18. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0271)

  19. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/7/2025

  20. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/3/2025

  21. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  22. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Re-refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  23. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 4/1/2025

  24. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 4/1/2025

  25. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  26. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate Reset on calendar for 4/3/2025

  27. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/25/2025

  28. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Education Committee

  29. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/20/2025

  30. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Education Administration Subcommittee for 3/18/2025

  31. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  32. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/12/2025

  33. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  34. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  35. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  36. 2025-01-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  37. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Education Administration Subcommittee

  38. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Education Committee

  39. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees

  40. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  41. 2025-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 7, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE
BILL 134, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, require, b
eginning August 1, 2027, each LEA and public charter school
to
prohibit food or beverage items that contain Allura Red AC, which is Chemical Abstracts Service registry number 25
956-17-6 and also known as Red 40, to be sold, offered for sale, or provided to students on school property through the school nutrition program provided by the LEA, public charter school, or a third party expressly authorized by the LEA or public charter

school.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 476
By Bowling

HOUSE BILL 134
By Davis

HB0134
001406
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
relative to student nutrition.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 23, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
Beginning August 1, 2027, each LEA and public charter school shall prohibit food
or beverage items that contain Allura Red AC, which is Chemical Abstracts Service
registry number 25956-17-6 and also known as Red 40, to be sold, offered for sale, or
provided to students on school property through vending machines or other sources that
are provided by the LEA, public charter school, or a third party that is expressly
authorized by the LEA or public charter school, including meals and snacks through the
school nutrition program, unless the food or beverage item is sold to the student as part
of a school fundraising event.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.