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SB 1290

SB 1290 - This act establishes the "Missouri Healthy Schools Act" and prohibits public schools from serving, selling, or allowing a third party to sell ultraprocessed food, as such term is defined in the act, on campus during the school day. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall post on its website a standardized form public schools may use to certify compliance with the provisions of the act, along with a list of each public school that has provided such certification of compliance to the Department. This act is identical to HB 2887 (2026) and SB 802 (2025). OLIVIA SHANNON

2026 Regular Session

Missouri Healthy Schools Act bans ultraprocessed foods on public school campuses during the school day for eligible meal programs starting 2027-2028, with DESE verifying compliance

Second Read and Referred S Education Committee
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Bill Summary · SB 1290

Overview

SB 1290, introduced in the Missouri Senate for the 2026 session, establishes the Missouri Healthy Schools Act. The measure aims to limit ultraprocessed foods on public school campuses during the school day for schools participating in federally funded or assisted meal programs. It creates a definition of ultraprocessed food, sets a prohibition starting in the 2027-2028 school year, and requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to provide tools to verify compliance and to publish a list of compliant schools.

Purpose and intent

  • Reduce the presence and sale of ultraprocessed foods in public schools during the school day.
  • Align school meal environments with health-oriented objectives by targeting items commonly considered ultraprocessed.

Key provisions

  • Definition: “Ultraprocessed food” means a food or beverage containing any of the following ingredients:
    • Potassium bromate
    • Propylparaben
    • Titanium dioxide
    • Brominated vegetable oil
    • Yellow dye 5
    • Yellow dye 6
    • Blue dye 1
    • Blue dye 2
    • Green dye 3
    • Red dye 3
    • Red dye 40
  • Prohibition timeline:
    • Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year and for subsequent years, any school that participates in a federally funded or assisted meal program shall not:
    • Serve ultraprocessed food on campus during the school day
    • Sell ultraprocessed food on campus during the school day
    • Allow a third party to sell ultraprocessed food on campus during the school day
    • The prohibition does not restrict a parent or guardian from providing ultraprocessed food to a student during the school day.
  • DESE responsibilities:
    • Post on DESE’s website a standardized form that public schools may use to certify compliance with the act.
    • Post a list of each public school that has certified compliance.

Who is affected

  • Public schools in Missouri that participate in federally funded or assisted meal programs.
  • School administrators and food service directors responsible for ensuring compliance and submitting certification to DESE.
  • DESE as the regulatory and enforcement conduit, maintaining compliance forms and the public compliance list.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective start: The prohibition applies beginning with the 2027-2028 school year and continues thereafter.
  • Documentation: DESE will provide and maintain:
    • A standardized compliance certification form for schools.
    • A contemporaneous public list of compliant schools.
  • Status update: The bill’s action history shows introduction, first reading, referral to the Education Committee, and subsequent readings and consideration in 2026.

Notes

  • The text indicates the bill is identical to HB 2887 (2026) and SB 802 (2025), suggesting alignment across chambers.
  • The measure preserves parental rights to provide ultraprocessed items to students during the school day.
  • No explicit penalties or enforcement mechanisms are described in the summary text; the main enforcement lever appears to be certification and public reporting via DESE.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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