SEN. KOLKHORST’S ‘MAKE TEXAS HEALTHY AGAIN’ LEGISLATION SIGNED INTO LAW
(R-Brenham)
Legislation authored by State Senator Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) to create stricter food labeling requirements, increase physical and nutrition education, and establish a research committee has been signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott.
Kolkhorst said Senate Bill 25, part of a series of bills known as “Make Texas Healthy Again” legislation, is intended to help families make better food and nutritional choices and encourage food manufacturers to avoid using potentially harmful ingredients in their products.
One of the main pieces of the bill is a requirement to add warning labels by 2027 to products that contain artificial additives, dyes or chemicals which are banned in Australia, Canada, the European Union or the United Kingdom. It also calls for all medical and nursing students to take nutrition courses and prevents students from being restricted from participating in recess or physical education classes due to academic performance or behavior.
Additionally, it forms the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee to study connections between ultra-processed foods, artificial additives and dyes, and chronic diseases. That research will be used to develop curriculum for nutrition classes in Texas public schools, colleges and medical schools; Kolkhorst said the process will not have influence or conflicts of interest from food industry insiders.
Kolkhorst said the ideas for this legislation came directly from Senate District 18 and her constituents. She called it “groundbreaking” and said it has the potential to spark similar change across the country.
SB 25 passed unanimously in the Senate and 116-24 in the House before Abbott’s signature on Sunday.
Other related bills signed into law include SB 314 from Senator Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) and SB 379 from Senator Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston).
SB 314 prohibits certain chemicals from being added to free and reduced school lunches. Through SB 379, the state will ask for a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prevent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from being used on sugary drinks and candy.
In my opinion the best way to make Texas healthy again is getting rid of hospital CEO’S that make millions while workers struggle to make ends meet and get rid of foreign visa workers in health care that really do not have our health in mind. Last get rid of big pharmacy lobbyists all together. Fact is people don’t really take the time to read ingredients they just want to get the grocery and get home and try to figure out how to pay for it all on want they take home because of the ridiculous taxes we have to pay for folks that have no business being in Texas or anywhere where else in the USA just stop and check out the western union in HEB. Needs to be a tax on that transfer of money. I just think we have more leaches on our society than you realize. We the tax payer suffer from these scams for more than these companies putting wood pulp in food. Happens all the time! I appreciate the Senators help on the labeling but what about the scams.
Hold up. Look at this: “prevents students from being restricted from participating in recess or physical education classes due to academic performance or behavior.”
This keeps bullies on the playground. This denies teachers the ability to use carrots and sticks to build up or enforce discipline and character in public schools. This allows wannabe athletes to ignore their academics and to mortgage their future. And it’s not like the academic standards to advance to the next grade level or graduate are really that high anymore to begin with.
Speaking as a law and order Republican of the old school, what in the heck is wrong with this crop of Republicans that they celebrate the breakdown of discipline in schools???
I’m not happy about the new food labeling laws either. Sounds awfully a lot like what California does. What’s next, a warning label that everything is known to the State of Texas to cause cancer? This is just ridiculous. Bring back actual conservatism.
And balance the budget too.