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Senate committee advances limits on calories, sodium and added sugar for chain children’s meals
Summary
Senate Bill 1939, as amended, was released by the committee. The amendments set numeric nutritional limits for children’s meals sold by chain restaurants, add training and website-exemption provisions, and reduce penalty levels compared with the original draft.
The Senate Health Committee released an amended bill requiring certain nutritional standards for children’s meals sold by chain restaurants with 20 or more locations.
Under the committee amendments read into the record, a children's meal sold by an owner or operator of a chain restaurant must contain no more than 550 calories per serving, no more than 700 milligrams of sodium, no more than 15 grams of added sugars, a limit on saturated fat expressed as a percentage (as reflected in the committee language), and 0 grams of trans fat. The beverage provision was narrowed: a non-dairy milk alternative nutritionally similar to cow's milk with no added sweeteners or a 100% vegetable juice (or diluted with water or carbonated water) is allowed; juice serving size is limited to 6.75 ounces. The amendments also exempt a chain if the meal’s nutritional content is published on the company website or mobile application.
The amended bill revises the penalty structure: a first offense would carry a warning; a civil penalty could be imposed not to exceed $500 for the first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense, with a $5,000 cap in any 30-day period. The Department of Health must produce and distribute explanatory materials to chain restaurants within three months of enactment and require staff training within six months.
Amanda Stone of the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association testified in opposition, saying the association supports improving children's health but believes the bill is “unwarranted” and that menu changes are already occurring voluntarily. “Many restaurants already provide new nutritional value and allergen information online,” she said. Opposing witnesses argued the bill would impose operational burdens and questioned whether mandatory standards would meaningfully reduce childhood obesity. Supporters, including the American Heart Association, urged the committee to adopt the bill as an incremental tool to improve food environments for children. Trevor Martindale of the American Heart Association said, “This legislation makes it easier for parents and children to make healthy choices.”
The committee voted to release Senate Bill 19 39 as amended; committee members noted the bill targets large chains and includes training, outreach, and a gradual enforcement approach.
