Bill > S529

Introduced Session

This bill children's meals sold or offered for sale in restaurants to adhere to certain nutritional standards outlined in the bill. Specifically, a children's meal sold, offered for sale, or sold by a restaurant would contain no more than: 600 calories per serving, 770 milligrams of sodium, 35 percent of calories from fat, 35 percent of calories from total sugars, 10 percent of calories from saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, at least 0.5 cups of fresh fruits or vegetables (fruits and vegetables would not include juices, condiments, jellies, jams, or spreads), and either a whole grain product, a lean protein, or at least 0.5 cups of non-fat or one percent milk, low fat yogurt, or one ounce of reduced fat cheese. If the children's meal is served with a beverage, that beverage would be: water, sparkling water, or flavored water with no added natural or artificial sweetener; nonfat milk, one percent milk, or a non-dairy milk alternative containing no more than 130 calories per container or serving as offered for sale; or 100 percent fruit juice or fruit juice combined with water or carbonated water, with no added natural or artificial sweetener, in a serving size of no more than eight ounces. A restaurant using a standard printed menu would be required to list the nutritional content of the meal, as required pursuant to the provisions of the bill, and if the meal includes a beverage, also list the caloric information for the beverage, next to a children's meal on the menu, using a font and format that is at least as prominent, in size and appearance, as that used to post either the name or price of the meal. As defined in the bill, "children's meal" means a combination of food items or food items and a beverage, sold together at a single price, primarily intended for consumption by children, and "restaurant" means any facility or part thereof in which food is prepared and provided or served for consumption on the premises. The Department of Health or a local bard of health would: have the right to enter the premises of a restaurant at which a children's meal is sold, offered for sale, or served, at any time during normal business hours and upon presentation of appropriate credentials, in order to determine compliance with the provisions of the bill; and advise the owner, operator, or proprietor of the restaurant and order appropriate action to be taken, if it has reason to suspect that a violation has occurred. Under the bill's provisions, an owner, operator, or the proprietor of a restaurant who sells, offers to sell, or serves a children's meal in violation of the provisions of the bill would be liable to a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 for a first offense, $2,000 for the second offense, and $3,000 for each subsequent offense. Penalties against an owner, operator, or the proprietor of the restaurant could not exceed $15,000 during a 30-day period.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Teresa Ruiz (D)*,  Joe Vitale (D)*,  Patrick Diegnan (D),  Nellie Pou (D),  Shirley Turner (D), 

Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Hearing (19:00 10/8/2020 Due to the public health emergency, the State House Annex remain) (on 10/08/2020)