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A proposed bill to ban the sale of sports drinks in California public schools during school hours was approved by the State Senate yesterday, advancing it to the Assembly for consideration. If passed there, the bill's sponsor Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is likely to sign it.
Current law prohibits the sale of soft drinks at schools during school hours but a loophole allowed sugared sport drinks, more specifically described as sugared electrolyte replacement beverages. SB 1255, authored by San Fernando Valley Senator Alex Paillda, would close that loophole.
“We have prohibited the sale of soft drinks at schools during the school day to improve both the health and academic focus of California’s children, SB 1255 continues that effort,” said Padilla. “This is a common sense step forward in the effort to address the obesity epidemic in California."