Bill > SB745

This bill, concerning school nutrition programs, aims to improve the healthfulness of food served to students by prohibiting certain food additives and setting limits on added sugars. Starting August 1, 2025, specific artificial dyes like Red Dye No. 3 and Yellow Dye No. 5 will be banned. Then, by August 1, 2027, a broader list of additives, including titanium dioxide, aspartame, and sucralose, will also be prohibited as added ingredients. Concurrently, beginning August 1, 2027, the bill mandates that no more than 10% of daily calories in school meals can come from added sugars, with this limit decreasing to 7% by August 1, 2028, and further to 5% by August 1, 2029, or as determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Child Nutrition Programs, whichever is less. Furthermore, by August 1, 2027, schools will be required to post their breakfast and lunch menus online with ingredient lists. The bill also allows for waivers from the additive restrictions under specific circumstances, requiring schools to document their inability to find compliant products and submit this information to the Department of Education's Office of Child Nutrition for approval. Finally, the Department of Education will be required to report annually on waiver requests, grants, and denials to legislative oversight commissions.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=745&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill