Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes nutritional standards for schools.

Highlights:

-Defines "competitive foods or beverages" as all foods or beverages sold or provided in la carte lines in school cafeterias, school stores, school snack bars, vending machines, or any other location in public schools not including foods sold or provided as part of the United States School Breakfast Program, School Lunch Program and Child and Adult Care Program (Sec. 3). -Requires the department to develop nutritional guidelines and standards for the sale or provision of competitive foods or beverages in public schools (Sec. 3). -Specifies that such competitive foods and beverages may include the following (Sec. 3):

-Foods that are:
-Non-fried fruits or non-fried vegetables; -Whole grains and related combination products; -Nonfat and low-fat dairy products; and
-Beverages that are:
-Water without additives or carbonation; -Non-sweetened carbonated water; -100 percent fruit juice; and -Nonfat or low-fat dairy drinks.

-Requires the nutritional information for competitive food items that are not prepackaged to be available to students which shall include calories, percentage of calories from fat, percentage of calories from saturated fat, cholesterol, protein, carbohydrate, fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C (Sec. 3). -Requires the department in consultation with the department of elementary and secondary education to conduct a review of the nutritional standards once every five years (Sec. 3). -Requires public schools to offer for sale fresh fruit and non-fried vegetables at any location where food is sold and to also make available plain, potable water to all students at no cost (Sec. 3). -Specifies that school districts should hold recess before lunch so that students can build up an appetite, make nutritious choices, and battle against childhood obesity (Sec. 4). -Establishes a commission on childhood obesity which shall be responsible for developing a statewide plan to reduce childhood obesity through the promotion of evidence-based programs to provide proper nutrition and exercise for the children of the commonwealth (Sec. 5). -Requires the department of agricultural resources in collaboration with the department of elementary and secondary education to conduct data including, but not limited to the following (Sec. 6A):

-School districts and other educational institutions interested in purchasing Massachusetts' farm products; -The type and amount of such products schools wish to purchase; and -The availability of Massachusetts' farm products by type and amount of the product, the names and contact information of farmers and farm organizations and businesses marketing such products.

-Authorizes a procurement officer to award a contract valued at less than $50,000 for the procurement of products of agriculture (Sec. 7A). -Requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in collaboration with the Department of Public Health to promulgate regulations requiring all school districts to convene a School Wellness Advisory Committee that shall develop and recommend to the superintendent of schools and school committee a school district wellness policy addressing school nutrition, nutrition education, and physical activity to be reviewed every three years (Sec. 10).

Full Bill Text