Bill
S 1939
NJ S-1939 requires chain restaurants (20+ locations) to serve kids' meals with strict nutrition limits, mandatory disclosures, and staff training to curb childhood obesity.
Note: the materials you provided contain conflicting metadata. The header lists S-1939 as an exemption from compensating use taxes, and the packet also includes unrelated texts (a Massachusetts draft on PILOT payments). However, the central legislative document and committee report you provided (Reprint SHH 6/9/25) are for a New Jersey bill that requires nutritional standards for children’s meals in chain restaurants. This summary focuses on that amended New Jersey S-1939 (children’s meals) and flags the discrepancy above.
Summary — S-1939 (as reported by Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, 6/9/2025)
Purpose
- Require chain restaurants to serve children’s meals that meet specific nutritional standards to promote healthier choices for children and reduce childhood obesity.
Scope / Who is affected
- Applies to “chain restaurants”: establishments that are part of a chain with 20 or more locations operating under the same name and substantially offering the same menu items.
- Affects chain restaurant owners/operators, their staff, and customers (children/parents).
- Oversight and enforcement by the New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) and local boards of health.
Key provisions
- Nutritional limits for a children’s meal (as amended):
- ≤ 550 calories per serving
- ≤ 700 mg sodium
- ≤ 15 g added sugars
- ≤ 10% of calories from saturated fat
- 0 g trans fat
- Meal composition requirements:
- At least 0.5 cup fresh fruit or vegetables (excludes juices, condiments, jellies, jams, spreads)
- Must include either a whole-grain product, a lean protein, or at least 0.5 cup nonfat/1% milk, low‑fat yogurt, or 1 oz reduced-fat cheese
- Whole-grain requirement: product equals 50% whole grains by weight or 50% of grain weight
- Beverage options (if included):
- Water, sparkling or flavored water with no added sweeteners
- Nonfat or 1% milk, or nutritionally similar non-dairy milk without added sweeteners or flavorings
- 100% fruit or vegetable juice, or juice combined with water/carbonated water, no added sweeteners, maximum serving 6.75 ounces
- Customers may request substitutions of any items in a children’s meal.
Menu and disclosure rules
- Chain restaurants with standard printed menus must list the meal’s required nutritional content (and beverage calories if included) next to the children’s meal in a font/format at least as prominent as the item name or price.
- Chain restaurants are exempted from some on-menu disclosure requirements if the meal’s nutritional content is posted on the company website or mobile app.
Compliance, training, outreach
- DOH (in consultation with the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association) must prepare a fact sheet and an informational poster within 3 months of enactment for distribution to chain restaurants.
- Within 6 months of enactment, all chain restaurant staff must complete a DOH‑approved training course on compliance; documentation must be available during inspections.
Enforcement and penalties
- DOH or local board may enter premises during business hours to inspect for compliance.
- Violation penalties (as amended): warning for first offense; up to $500 for second offense; $1,000 for each subsequent offense. Total penalties may not exceed $5,000 in any 30-day period.
Timeline / procedural status (from materials)
- Introduced: June 4, 2025; reported favorably with committee amendments by Senate Health Committee on June 9, 2025.
- Later referred to Senate Ways and Means (reported 11/20/2025 in materials) and had hearings scheduled in October 2025 per the docket entries.
Impacts / considerations
- Operational: chain restaurants will need to reformulate children’s meals or change offered combinations, provide menu disclosures, and train staff.
- Public health: aims to reduce excess calories, sodium, added sugar, and unhealthy fats in meals marketed to children.
- Compliance burden: smaller chains under 20 locations are excluded; larger chains bear administrative, training, and potential reformulation costs.
If you intended a summary of a different S-1939 (for example, the compensating use tax exemption you listed, or the Massachusetts PILOT reform draft also in the packet), please confirm which bill (state and bill text) and I will prepare a focused summary.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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