Meeting Public Comments

Subcommittee meeting and times are as follows:

A bill for an act prohibiting school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools from serving meals to students that contain certain ingredients.(See HF 212.)

Subcommittee members: Shipley-CH, Boden, Matson

Date: Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Time: 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM

Location: RM 102

Names and comments are public records. Remaining information is considered a confidential record.

Comments Submitted:

01-21-2025

Sarah Codrea [International Association of Color Manufacturers]

Dear Members of the House Education Subcommittee: The International Association of Color Manufacturers (IACM) respectfully opposes House Study Bill 5. We believe it is unnecessary and misguided. IACM is the association representing the global color industry, comprised of manufacturers and endusers of natural and synthetic color additives that are used in foods, drugs, and cosmetics. Colors are safely used as ingredients in consumer products, are among the most widely studied food ingredients, and are subject to strict global regulatory requirements. Color additives play an important role in food, and they do so without posing a health risk to children. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and international regulatory bodies have all concluded that food dyes are safe for children and no study has offered compelling evidence that these colors cause adverse behaviors. Please see attached document for more detailed information.

Attachment

01-22-2025

Micah Van Mersbergen

I'm not sure our lobbyist friend from DC has ever seen my kids after they ingest something with Red 40... We would do well to eliminate it from our food supply. However, her point on Yellow 7 is quite valid. It's not in food, which makes a ban nonsensical. Was Wheeler's intent with this bill to ban Yellow 5? Also, it might be prudent to include language such as "Red 40, or any equivalent identifiers." You ban Red 40, and I'll just put E129 on the label.