In an effort In an effort to combat the growing obesity epidemic among children and adolescents, S.B. 1309 - An Act Concerning School Nutrition, became one of the most controversial and intensely lobbied bills in the 2005 session.  Senate President Don Williams worked with us to draft this significant bill.  The Education Committee's raised bill would have instituted an outright ban on the sale to students of soda and junk food on school grounds.  The bill also required a minimum of twenty minutes per regular day of exercise or 100 hours per week for students in grades K-5, in addition to physical education.  The bill also required that schools form Wellness committees comprised of teachers, school nurses, parents, students, physical education teachers, and school administrators, to formulate and monitor health policies and nutrition guidelines for schools. The bill permitted the sale of 1.) water, 2.) milk, including but not limited to chocolate milk, soy milk, rice milk, and other similar dairy or non-dairy milk, 3.) one hundred percent fruit juice, and 4.) fruit-based drinks that are composed of no less than fifty percent fruit juice and have no added natural or artificial sweeteners.  It would have permitted, in high schools only, the sale of electrolyte replacement beverages containing no more than forty-two grams of added sweetener per twenty ounce serving.  Another major component of the bill required the Department of Education to publish a list of recommended snack foods, other than beverages, that may be offered as the only snacks on school premises from any source including school stores, vending machines, school cafeterias, and school sponsored and non-school sponsored fundraising activities. To increase the number of children participating in the school lunch program and to encourage the use of Connecticut grown products in school meals.

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					Education Vote Tally

				Senate

					House A

				During the eight hour debate, the House had several amendments.  To see the language of these amendments and the vote tallies, go to bill history.

				House Amendment Summaries:

					File Copy - A new file was printed after House "A" was adopted and the Senate took it up a week later.  A two hour debate ensued thereafter.

				Senate C offered by Sen. Freedman, would have allowed the SDE to survey obesity rates.  Failed:Y-13 N-23

				Senate D offered by Sen. Herlihy, was a strike all amendment that would have changed the provisions to the School Wellness Committee and required schools to conduct a cost-benefit analysis. Failed: Y-12 N-24

				Senate E offered by Sen. Cook and Freedman would have allowed the sale of diet sodas in schools. Failed: Y-12 N-24

				Senate F offered by Sen. Roraback would have included a provision to prohibit the broadcast of cable or recorded video material that contains advertising for food or beverages that are not permitted in the bill. Failed: Y-12 N-24

				Senate G offered by Sen. McKinney would have restricted the sale of juice to 100% fruit juice only, but would have removed the sale of diet soda in high schools.  Failed: Y-12 N-24

				Senate H  offered by Sen. Roraback would have required schools to install smoke detectors in the bathrooms. Failed: Y-12 N-24

				Senate I offered by Sen. McKinney would have restricted the sale of juices to 100% fruit juice only, and included the sale of caffeine and sugar-free sodashalf hour after lunch in high schools. Failed: Y-12 N-24

					Senate J offered by Sen. McKinney would have restricted the sale of juices to 100% fruit juice only, and included the provision for diet sodas a half hour after lunch in high schools. Failed: Y-12 N-24