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Committee advances bill to ban two food additives now restricted in other jurisdictions
Summary
Senate Bill 938 would ban potassium bromate and parabens in food; the committee advanced the measure after Department of Health representatives said the agency had no concerns on this bill.
Representative Pilkington presented Senate Bill 938, the "Make Arkansas Healthy Again Act," to ban two food additives—potassium bromate and certain parabens—that sponsor says are linked to cancer and other health risks. Pilkington said the proposal follows actions taken by the European Union, the U.K., Canada, and some U.S. states.
Committee member questions focused on whether state agencies had technical expertise or concerns about the policy. The Department of Health sent Matt Gilmore and Laura Shue, general counsel, to the table; Gilmore said the department did not have agency-level concerns about the bill in committee.
Pilkington said many U.S. producers are already moving away from those chemicals and that alignment with larger markets would reduce friction for Arkansas producers. The bill’s implementation date was shifted in negotiated language at the sponsor’s request.
The committee voted by voice to advance the bill; the chair announced the ayes had it and the bill was passed out of committee.
