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H 4263

School lunch and breakfast nutrition requirements

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Burns and 8 co-sponsors

South Carolina bans serving foods containing blue, green, red 40, yellow 5, and yellow 6 dyes in public school meals and events for contracts after June 30, 2025.

Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
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Bill Summary · H 4263

Summary — H 4263 / South Carolina: Prohibition on certain food dyes in school meals

Note: The materials provided included unrelated text (a proposed Medford, MA charter). This summary covers the school-meal nutrition measure in the packet — a South Carolina bill that bans specified artificial food dyes in student meals/snacks.

Purpose

To prohibit public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in South Carolina from serving (or authorizing the serving of) foods that contain certain artificial food colorings in order to reduce student exposure to those dyes.

Key provisions

  • Adds Section 59-63-755 to the S.C. Code (Article 7, Chapter 63, Title 59).
  • Prohibits schools/districts from serving or authorizing serving any food that contains any of these substances (listed with CAS numbers):
    • Blue dye 1 (CAS 3844-45-9)
    • Blue dye 2 (CAS 860-22-0)
    • Green dye 3 (CAS 2353-45-9)
    • Red dye 40 (CAS 25956-17-6)
    • Yellow dye 5 (CAS 1934-21-0)
    • Yellow dye 6 (CAS 2783-94-0)
  • Applicability limits:
    • Applies to food acquired for student meals and snacks by contracts entered into or renewed after June 30, 2025.
    • Also applies to food brought to be shared among students (e.g., parties, celebrations, cultural events) when authorized by a teacher or school/district administrator.
  • No express exemptions or replacement list provided in the statute text.
  • Takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Who is affected

  • Public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in South Carolina.
  • School food service providers and vendors (especially those bidding on or entering contracts after June 30, 2025).
  • Parents, students, and school staff who bring shared foods to school events when such sharing is authorized by staff.
  • Contracting and procurement processes for school meal programs.

Timeline and legislative status

  • Introduced: March 27, 2025.
  • Became law: Enacted by the General Assembly and approved by the Governor; filed as Chapter 30 of the Acts of 2025 (Governor signed on September 19, 2025; legislative enactment recorded September 11, 2025).
  • Practical effect: Restriction applies to new or renewed food service contracts after June 30, 2025; law effective upon governor’s approval.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Procurement & compliance: School food-service contracts will need ingredient checks and possible vendor changes when contracts are renewed after the June 30, 2025 cutoff.
  • Menu planning: Dining services may need to substitute compliant products and verify labeling for the listed dyes.
  • Shared food policy: Schools will need clear policies and communications for staff/parents about approval procedures for shared/celebration foods.
  • Cost & supply: Replacement products without these dyes may affect cost and supplier availability.
  • Enforcement & monitoring: The statute prohibits serving foods with the dyes but does not specify enforcement mechanisms or penalties; local districts will determine operational compliance steps.

If you want, I can draft suggested procurement language or parent-communication templates that align with this law.

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

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