Senate advances nutrition and school-food package, approving Kolkhorst labeling measure and school-meal additive ban

The Texas Senate on March 12 approved a package of bills aimed at improving nutrition and what children are served in schools, adopting a prominent consumer-labeling and nutrition bill and a separate measure that bars certain additives from meals served through the free and reduced-price school lunch program.

Senator Lois Kolkhorst’s committee substitute for Senate Bill 25 passed the Senate after floor debate and amendments. The bill creates a Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee, requires improved labeling for certain ingredients that other Western countries ban, requires expanded physical education and nutrition instruction in schools, and adds continuing-education requirements in nutrition for health-care practitioners who interact with patients. Kolkhorst said the measure is intended to “arm Texans with information so they can make their decisions on…