‘Make Texas Healthy Again’ push begins in Senate

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Texas Senators unveiled a bill package that will push to provide healthier food options for Texans while also creating a committee tasked with studying the links between nutrition and chronic diseases.

On Tuesday, a group of lawmakers presented three bills filed in the Texas Senate that are part of the Make Texas Healthy Again initiative that mirrors a similar federal push.

Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee

Senate Bill 25, filed by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R – Brenham, would make children exercise more at school, require a nutrition curriculum at medical schools, establish the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee and require food labeling for certain chemicals in foods.

“We have to do something to really curb these chronic diseases and life expectancy,” Kolkhorst said in a news conference to unveil the bills.

Her bill said the committee will develop nutritional guidelines for Texans. It will be a five-member committee with at least one expert in metabolic health, one licensed physician certified in functional medicine, one member of the Texas Agriculture Department and two members representing the rural and urban communities.

The committee will study the links between ultra-processed foods and the prevalence of chronic diseases and other health issues. Every year the committee is required to submit an annual report with findings and recommendations.

Food labeling

The bill would also require more labeling on food products containing certain chemicals. Food products will need a warning label disclosing that product has any artificial color, food additive or chemical that is banned in the United Kingdom or Canada.

The warning label would have to read, “WARNING: This product may expose you to [Name of
Chemical], which is banned by [Name of Country],” according to the bill.

Hawley Evilsizer, a registered and licensed dietician and director of government affairs for the Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said the push for better nutrition at the Capitol is exciting. She does want to make sure that with this push, though, there is no fear of the food supply.

“We want to make sure that we’re focusing on ensuring that the food supply is safe but then also educating and teaching Texans how to make healthy choices to prevent those chronic diseases,” Evilsizer explained.

Banning chemicals in school lunches

Sen. Bryan Hughes, R – Mineola, also introduced a bill that would ban seven chemicals in food that is offered in reduced-price or free lunch programs at public schools. The proposed banned chemicals are:

• Brominated vegetable oil
• Potassium bromate
• Propylparaben
• Azodicarbonamide
• Butylated Hydroxyanisole
• Red dye 3
• Titanium dioxide

“SB 314 is for our kids who don’t have the privilege of choosing what they eat during the school day,” Hughes said.

Hughes said in a public hearing Wednesday that any school out of compliance would not receive funding to run the free lunch program. Evilsizer said it will be important that as the state makes decisions on which chemicals to ban, it is giving food suppliers and schools enough time to come into compliance, and making sure there is an affordable replacement.

“We just need to make sure that when we take something out, that we’re making sure we’re replacing it with something that is still gives palatability to the food so that the kids will eat it,” Evilsizer explained.