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Committee advances bill to ban select synthetic food additives in school meals, charters raise cost concerns
Summary
The committee adopted an amendment and unanimously recommended HB350 to extend a ban on certain synthetic dyes and titanium dioxide to charter and smaller districts, with charter representatives asking for delay or fiscal support to offset operational costs.
Representative Chevrier told the committee HB350 would expand last year’s school-food additives law to include charter schools and smaller districts and add titanium dioxide to the prohibited list. The sponsor said the bill affects roughly 3% of items served on school trays and 2% of a la carte sales and includes a requested delayed-implementation amendment for smaller schools.
Tamara Watson, director of communications for the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools, told the committee that charter members returned mixed responses and voiced concerns that small charters lack collective buying power and would face higher operating costs; she asked whether grant funding or fiscal assistance could be considered during implementation. An online public commenter, Megan Larson of Lehi, spoke in favor of the bill citing student health and consistent standards.
Representative Clancy moved to adopt Amendment 1 and then to favorably recommend HB350 as amended. The committee approved the amendment and voted to send the bill to the full House with a favorable recommendation; the transcript records unanimous committee votes.
