Committee on Children
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: SB-288
AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE'S PROPOSED RULE CONCERNING THE NATIONAL SCHOOL
Title: LUNCH AND SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAMS.
Vote Date: 3/10/2020
Vote Action: Joint Favorable
PH Date: 3/3/2020
File No.:
Disclaimer: The following JOINT FAVORABLE Report is prepared for the benefit of the
members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and
explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber
thereof for any purpose.
SPONSORS OF BILL:
Committee on Children
REASONS FOR BILL:
The Bill establishes a task force to examine the impact of the United States Department of
Agricultures Final Rule concerning simplifying meal service and monitoring requirements in
the National School Lunch Program and National School Breakfast Program. This bill is
needed because the USDAs Final Rule could significantly change the health standards of
school meals and influence the health of our students. Therefore, members of the General
Assembly feel the rule should be studied.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
Sarah Eagan, Office of the Child Advocate for the State of Connecticut
Supports this bill because the proposed rules have been cited as a rollback of regulations
adopted under President Obama that sought to promote healthier food options, increased
access to fruits and vegetables for children receiving their meals at school. She believes due
to this rollback of regulations, further examination of the impact of such rule changes on
Connecticuts childrens health, particularly those dependent on school meals, will be
important.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Ailish Farquhar
Supports this bill because improving the national school lunches and breakfast standards is
important to her as a student athlete who tries to maintain a healthy balanced diet. She cites
the CDCs recommendation of how children 6-18 years old should be consuming less than
1,500mg of sodium per day, and how according to the USDA most children who eat school
lunches consume about 3,400mg of sodium per day. She believes that if we can make
Connecticuts school lunch regulations healthier it has the potential to lower the obesity rate
in the country, leading to a much healthier society.
Jim Williams; American Heart Association
Supports this bill because they believe it could ultimately result in healthier lives for
Connecticuts children. They believe that if enacted the proposed federal changes could be a
major setback in the nutritional quality of school meals, competitive foods and foods served in
early childcare settings as well as Head Start if there are no state protections to put in place.
They believe this challenge necessitates a state strategy that will examine how the rule
change will impact CT children, and to make recommendations to ensure that all CT children
have healthy and nutritious foods available to them at school.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
None expressed.
Reported by: Ed Ford Date: 4/2/2020
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