Colorado Moves Forward on Trans Fat Ban in Schools

DENVEROn April 9, the Colorado Senate voted 18 to 17 to approve the much-amended and delayed senate billSB12-068that would ban trans fats from most foods served in school cafeterias and from vending machines. The bill needs to pass another Senate reading before it moves on the House for debate. If passed, the Colorado schools would have until September 2013 to comply, and would exempt fundraisers from the trans fat ban.

The measure, backed by the American Heart Association, is sponsored by Sen. Lucia Guzman, (D-Denver) and a former Denver school board member, and Rep. Tom Massey, (R-Poncha Springs) and chair of the House Education Committee.

The bill prohibits a public school or institute charter school from making available to a student a food item that contains any amount of industrially produced trans fat. The prohibition applies to all food and beverages made available to a student on school grounds during each school day and extended school day, including but not limited to a food or beverage item made available to a student in a school cafeteria, school store, vending machine or other foodservice entity existing upon school grounds or through any fundraising effort conducted by one or more students, teachers or parents.