Bill > S2781

This bill aims to protect youth from the health risks of sugary drinks. The key provisions are: 1. It prohibits the advertising of non-compliant beverages (beverages that do not meet the minimum nutrition standards for foods sold or served under school meal programs) on school property or facilities, and bans corporate incentive programs that reward children with free or discounted non-compliant beverages. 2. It requires chain restaurants in the state to display an icon and accompanying text adjacent to standard menu items that exceed the daily value for added sugars, along with a factual statement explaining the warning. 3. It encourages school districts to implement media literacy instruction from grades 3-12 to help students analyze and evaluate advertising content, including for food, beverages, drugs, and alcohol. 4. It requires chain restaurants to offer only water, milk, or 100% juice as the default beverages in children's meals, and mandates annual reporting to the Department of Public Health on their compliance. The bill provides timelines for implementation and review, as well as a severability clause to ensure the effectiveness of any provisions that are upheld.

Budget and Finance

Joint Committee on Public Health (J)

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S2781