Bill > H2575

This bill aims to reduce childhood obesity by establishing a program that would assess a tax on candies, confectionaries, and soft drinks, with the collected revenue directed towards this initiative. Specifically, it amends existing Massachusetts General Laws to clarify that "food products" for tax purposes do not include candy, confectionary, or soft drinks, and it designates that revenue collected from excises on these items will be credited to a fund for community-based prevention activities. The bill also expands the uses of this fund to include reimbursing school districts for costs associated with integrating physical activity into classroom curricula. Furthermore, it mandates the measurement of children's body mass index (BMI) in schools, with specific grades and ages outlined for these assessments, and requires that students receive at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity, defining physical activity broadly to include classroom-based movement or recess.