Legislative Successes
CCPHA’s legislative efforts have focused primarily on instituting policy reforms to curtail the state’s epidemic of childhood obesity. From 2000 to 2005, we helped lead the successful statewide effort to limit sales of soda and junk food in all public schools. Click here to view a case study developed by the California Endowment that summarizes the effort.
School Junk Food Ban, 2005 (SB 12, Escutia). SB 12 established the most rigorous nutrition standards in the country for food sold anywhere on school campuses outside the school meal program. The law, which goes into effect July 1, 2007, established limits on fat and sugar content and portion size on all foods sold a la carte, in vending machines or school stores, or as part of a school fundraiser. SB 12 was sponsored by the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, the California School Boards Association, Governor Schwarzenegger, and many other co-sponsors and supporters. Find out how your legislator voted on SB 12, and read a bill summary or the full text of the bill.
High School Soda Ban, 2005 (SB 965, Escutia). Reducing soda consumption is one of the most promising strategies for addressing the epidemic of overweight children. This bill defined school beverage standards for high schools, eliminating the sale of soda and other sweetened beverages on high school campuses in California. Similar standards had already been established for elementary and middle schools through SB 677 (Ortiz, 2003, see below). Half of the beverages sold on high school campuses must meet these standards by July 1, 2007. All beverages sold on high school campuses must meet these standards by July 1, 2009. SB 965 was sponsored by Governor Schwarzenegger and had a long list of supporters. Find out how your legislator voted on SB 965, and read a bill summary or the full text of the bill.
Marketing to Children, 2004 (SJR 29 Kuehl). In 2004 CCPHA successfully sponsored a resolution that called upon Congress to take steps to curtail unhealthy marketing to children. The Resolution and its accompanying fact sheet provide information on the problem of marketing to children as well as proposed actions to remedy the problem.
K-8 Soda Ban, 2003 (SB 677 Ortiz). This bill, which went into effect July 1, 2004, ensures that only healthy beverages are sold on elementary, middle and junior high school campuses. Reducing soda consumption is one of the most promising strategies for preventing obesity. Find out how your legislator voted on SB 677, read a bill summary, view the full text of the bill, and learn about the negative health effects of soda consumption.
School Food Standards, 2001 (SB 19 Escutia). SB 19 established a statewide pilot program to determine the financial impact on schools that implement rigorous nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold outside of the school meal program (foods sold a la carte, in vending machines, in school stores and as fundraisers). The pilot program showed that middle and high schools could implement nutrition standards without any loss of revenue. Some schools even made more money selling healthy foods than they did selling unhealthy foods. The statute would have also established nutrition standards for foods sold at elementary schools had the legislature increased school meal reimbursements. Unfortunately, the legislature did not increase meal reimbursements.
For more information, see School Nutrition the Resources section and Policy Steps Along the Way.
