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SB 577 · 2026 · Senate · Education Committee

Ban on artificial dyes in school meals

AI-generated

(New Title) prohibiting the use and recommending avoidance of specific color additives in meals offered or made available by public schools as a part of school breakfast and lunch meal programs.

Prohibits certain red, citrus red, and orange color additives in public school breakfast and lunch meals, encourages avoidance of other additives, and exempts foods offered outside meal programs.AI-generated

Status

Signed into law · July 9, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓Senate
  3. ✓House
  4. ✓Governor
  5. ✓Law

Analysis

This bill: I. Prohibits the use of certain red, citrus red, and orange color additives in meals offered or made available by public schools as a part of school breakfast and lunch meal programs. II. Encourages public schools to avoid offering foods containing certain other color additives in school breakfast and lunch meals. III. Encourages public schools, where it is feasible, to work with vendors to transition away from foods containing certain color additives in school breakfast and lunch meals. IV. Exempts foods offered outside school breakfast and lunch meal programs from the prohibition and recommended avoidance of certain color additives.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as enacted. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“II-a.(a) No public elementary or secondary school shall offer or make available to any student, as a part of a school breakfast or lunch meal, any food that contains any of the following color additives as recognized by the Food and Drug Administration:”
Section 270:1
“This paragraph shall not apply to foods offered outside school breakfast and lunch meal programs, including but not limited to foods brought by students, vending machine items, a la carte sales, and school fundraisers.”
Section 270:1

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Sen. Rebecca Perkins KwokaDPrimeMinority Leader
  • Rep. Carry SpierDDeputy Ranking Member· Commerce and Consumer Affairs
  • Rep. Anita BurroughsDRanking Member· Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Also: Sen. Debra AltschillerD

Public testimony

18 signed in online · 1 wrote testimony

83% support17% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I think this will be a very hard to make happen but students are eating way to much sugar which is creating the increased behaviors in schools.”
— Jillian Godbout, Hooksettsupports

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Feb 19, 2026SenateCommittee reportCommittee report: Ought to Pass5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Feb 19, 2026SenateVoice voteOught to Passadopted
  • May 4, 2026HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1778h (NT)15–2
    Overall
    88% yea
  • May 14, 2026HouseVoice voteAmendment 2026-1778hadopted
  • May 14, 2026HouseVoice voteOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-1778hadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • May 21, 2026SenateVoice voteSen. Ward Moved to Concur with the House Amendmentadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as adopted by both chambers
  • Jun 4, 2026SenateVoice voteEnrolledadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 20, 2026Public hearingSenate Education59:56–1:05:045m 8slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Feb 19, 2026Floor debateSenate floor3:52:41–3:53:2140slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass; Ought to Pass — adopted, voice vote
  • Mar 25, 2026Public hearingHouse Education Policy and Administration5:52–32:4726m 55slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • May 4, 2026Public hearingHouse Education Policy and Administration1:12:06–1:13:111m 5slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1778h (NT); Executive Session
  • May 14, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-1778h — adopted, voice vote; Amendment # 2026-1778h — adopted, voice vote
  • May 21, 2026Floor debateSenate floor1:06:10–1:06:4939slocated in the stream transcriptSen. Ward Moved to Concur with the House Amendment — adopted, voice vote
  • Jun 4, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamEnrolled Adopted — voice vote

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026SenIntroduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Education; SJ 1
  2. Jan 13, 2026Sen==CANCELLED== Hearing: 01/13/2026, Map Room, SL, 09:45 am; SC 45
  3. Jan 20, 2026SenHearing: 01/20/2026, Map Room, SL, 10:00 am; SC 46
  4. Feb 19, 2026Sen: Ought to Pass, 02/19/2026, Vote 5-0; SC 6
  5. Feb 19, 2026SenOught to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 02/19/2026; SJ 4
  6. Feb 19, 2026HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 02/19/2026 and referred to Education Policy and Administration HJ 5 P. 127
  7. Mar 25, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 03/25/2026 10:00 am GP 232
  8. May 4, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 05/04/2026 10:30 am GP 232
  9. May 4, 2026House: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1778h (NT) 05/04/2026 (Vote 15-2; CC) HC 19 P. 12
  10. May 14, 2026HouseAmendment # 2026-1778h: AA VV 05/14/2026 HJ 13 P. 17
  11. May 14, 2026HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-1778h: MA VV 05/14/2026 HJ 13 P. 17
  12. May 21, 2026SenSen. Ward Moved to Concur with the House Amendment, MA, VV; 05/21/2026; SJ 13
  13. Jun 4, 2026HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15
  14. Jun 4, 2026SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 14
  15. Jul 2, 2026SenSigned by the Governor on 07/02/2026; Chapter 270; Effective 07/01/2028

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Background reading

Evergreen reading on the policy area — spanning perspectives — not coverage of this specific bill.

  • Summer EBTPrimary source

    USDA Food and Nutrition Service — The federal program, including the streamlined-certification provision the data sharing rests on.AI-generated

  • Summer nutrition programsAdvocacy

    Food Research & Action Center — Participation gaps and why automatic enrollment matters to reach.AI-generated

  • National School Lunch ProgramPrimary source

    USDA Food and Nutrition Service — The free and reduced-price eligibility determination that Summer EBT enrollment now piggybacks on.AI-generated

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.