Bill
HB 5115
Rhode Island bans listed artificial dyes in all school foods from 1/1/2027; enforcement fines up to $1,000/day, contract risks for vendors, and oversight to protect student health.
Status snapshot
- Title: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — School Food Dye Restriction Act (HB 5115)
- Introduced: Jan 22, 2025 (text LC000284)
- Key effective/implementation dates in bill text:
- Prohibition on listed dyes in school-distributed foods: beginning January 1, 2027
- Department of Health to promulgate rules/guidance no later than January 1, 2027
- Annual reporting to begin January 1, 2028
- Note: the materials provided also include unrelated committee materials for a different HB 5115 (underground storage tanks). This summary covers the School Food Dye Restriction Act (LC000284).
Purpose and findings
- Declares that certain artificial food dyes have been linked to adverse health effects (behavioral issues, allergic reactions) in sensitive populations, that safer natural alternatives exist, and that restricting certain dyes in school foods will protect children’s health and attention.
- Purpose: prohibit manufacture, sale, and distribution of specified artificial food dyes in foods provided or sold in Rhode Island schools.
Key provisions
- Definitions: “artificial food dye” (examples listed), “competitive foods” (foods/beverages sold at school other than federally reimbursed meals), “school campus,” “school day,” “school food service vendor,” etc.
- Prohibited dyes: Beginning Jan 1, 2027, no food product distributed in schools may contain: FD&C Blue No. 1 & 2; FD&C Green No. 3; FD&C Red No. 40; FD&C Yellow No. 5 & 6.
- Scope/applicability: Applies across school campus and school day — includes school breakfasts/lunches, à la carte sales, school stores, vending machines, fundraisers during the school day, foods distributed by school personnel, and foods prepared/provided for students to consume off school property.
- Compliance: School food service vendors are responsible for ensuring compliance. Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RIDE) must develop a monitoring process and post implementation resources.
- Enforcement & penalties:
- Enforcement by the Center for Food Service Protection (Dept. of Health).
- Civil fines (set by Dept. of Health): up to $1,000 per day for the first offense; up to $5,000 per day for subsequent offenses.
- Repeated violations in a school year may permit schools/districts to cancel or void vendor contracts without liability.
- Fines deposited into a “Food Safety and Public Health Fund” for education and outreach.
- Vendors may request administrative hearings under state procedures.
- Center will review product labels during school food safety audits.
- Reporting & rulemaking:
- Dept. of Health to promulgate rules and guidance by Jan 1, 2027.
- Dept. of Health to submit annual reports to the General Assembly beginning Jan 1, 2028, detailing compliance, vendors, fines, canceled contracts, and other relevant metrics.
Who is affected
- Directly: school districts, school food service vendors, vending and concession operators, food manufacturers and distributors supplying schools.
- Indirectly: students and families (changes in available products), schools’ procurement and contract administration, and public health/food safety programs.
Potential impacts (practical considerations)
- Procurement: districts/vendors will need to review supplier ingredients, substitute acceptable natural colorants, and may renegotiate contracts.
- Costs: possible increased costs for reformulated products or alternative suppliers; potential contract cancellations if vendors do not comply.
- Public health: intended reduction in student exposure to listed synthetic dyes and associated health/behavioral risks; funds created for outreach/education.
- Enforcement burden: Dept. of Health and RIDE will incur responsibilities for rulemaking, monitoring, audits, and annual reporting.
If you intended a summary of the other HB 5115 materials (underground storage tank/fund amendments appearing in the packet), tell me — I can prepare a separate, focused summary of that legislation.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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