Image Credit: TN General Assembly
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
As the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda remains a central focus for many conservatives across the state this year, the Tennessee Senate passed a MAHA-minded bill requiring the elimination of artificial food dyes from food or beverage items in public schools on Monday, Feb 23.
SB2423 expands on a bill passed last year prohibiting public schools from selling or serving any food or beverage items containing Red 40 dye in meals or snacks served as part of the school’s nutrition program to include additional artificial petroleum-based food dyes.
During the Senate floor session, bill sponsor Sen. Rusty Crowe introduced the bill and Sen. Dawn White added an amendment that listed the specific petroleum-based dyes that would be prohibited under the legislation and grandfathers in any existing contracts schools have with food suppliers existing before August 1, 2027.
Sen. Crowe then elaborated on the specifics of the legislation, emphasizing it “only deals with the seven petroleum-based dyes that the FDA and Health and Human Services Department have targeted for elimination that we discussed with Secretary Bobby Kennedy Jr. when he visited earlier this year.”
He also reiterated that the prohibitions would only apply to the school cafeterias and would affect nothing being sold in the booster programs, vending machines, or through fundraising efforts.
While the legislation was non-controversial overall, Democrat Sen. Heidi Campbell stated that while she wholeheartedly supported the intention and necessity of the bill, she would be voting against it because she did not believe there was enough phase out time for schools to make the switches and that it would cost too much in the intermediary time.
Sen. Janice Bowling spoke in favor of the bill, declaring that any potential extra expense was worth the health of children.
“I think that these things are now known to be harmful to the children, and why in the world would we quibble over some of the money when this only takes place within the cafeterias of the schools? So, I do appreciate this bill, and I look forward to voting for it,” Bowling said.
SB2423 passed 27-3, with all three “No” votes coming from Senate Democrats, though they were likely not opposed to the principle of the bill, but its stated timeline.
As the Red 40 provisions are already a part of state code and are set to go into effect beginning in August of 2027, the passage of SB2423 will simply add the names of the additional dyes into the existing code’s language making all these artificial chemicals prohibited beginning August 1 of next year and preventing LEAs from entering into any new contracts with suppliers who use these dyes.
The House companion of this bill, HB1853, sponsored by Rep. Michele Reneau has already passed the House Education Administration Subcommittee and will be heard by the full House Education Committee, likely sometime next week.
To contact members of this committee with your thoughts on this legislation, use the information below:
Rep.kevin.raper@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.jody.barrett@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.charlie.baum@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.scott.cepicky@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.ronnie.glynn@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.yusuf.hakeem@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.kirk.haston@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.gloria.johnson@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.renea.jones@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.aron.maberry@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.sam.mckenzie@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.william.slater@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.robert.stevens@capitol.tn.gov
Rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov; rep.kevin.raper@capitol.tn.gov; rep.jody.barrett@capitol.tn.gov; rep.charlie.baum@capitol.tn.gov; rep.gino.bulso@capitol.tn.gov; rep.scott.cepicky@capitol.tn.gov; rep.ronnie.glynn@capitol.tn.gov; rep.yusuf.hakeem@capitol.tn.gov; rep.kirk.haston@capitol.tn.gov; rep.tim.hicks@capitol.tn.gov; rep.chris.hurt@capitol.tn.gov; rep.gloria.johnson@capitol.tn.gov; rep.renea.jones@capitol.tn.gov; rep.aron.maberry@capitol.tn.gov; rep.sam.mckenzie@capitol.tn.gov; rep.jay.reedy@capitol.tn.gov; rep.lee.reeves@capitol.tn.gov; rep.william.slater@capitol.tn.gov; rep.robert.stevens@capitol.tn.gov
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
