Bill
HF 212
HF 212 prohibits serving certain artificial dyes, additives, and margarine in K–12 school meals and limits sale of beverages with these ingredients at school events, starting 2027.
Note on document discrepancy
- The bill header provided names HF 212 as “Stillwater; water treatment plan funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated.” The bill text and fiscal note supplied, however, address school nutrition and prohibited ingredients. This summary is based on the supplied bill text and fiscal note (school nutrition provisions). A separate HF 212 with the Stillwater water-treatment subject may exist; confirm bill text with the legislative clerk if needed.
Purpose and intent
- HF 212 seeks to prohibit certain ingredients from being served to K–12 students in school breakfast and lunch programs and to limit sales of beverages containing those ingredients at school functions and school‑sponsored activities. The stated intent is to restrict use and sale of specified dyes, additives, and margarine substitutes in school meals and related food sales.
Key provisions
- Applicability: School districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools that provide a breakfast or lunch program.
- Effective date: Applies to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2027.
- Definitions:
- “Margarine” is defined as a butter substitute made with fats or oils that are not “natural fats and oils.”
- “Natural fats and oils” defined to include butter, beef tallow, lard, coconut oil, avocado oil, and olive oil.
- Prohibited ingredients in meals served as part of school breakfast/lunch programs:
- Blue Dye 1, Blue Dye 2, Green Dye 3, Red Dye 3, Red Dye 40, Yellow Dye 5, Yellow Dye 6
- Brominated vegetable oil (BVO)
- Potassium bromate
- Propylparaben
- Margarine (as defined)
- Beverage-sale restrictions:
- Schools may not permit sale during a school function or school-sponsored activity of beverages that contain the prohibited ingredients unless the sale is off school property or occurs at least 30 minutes after the end of the school day.
- Amendments (H‑1138, H‑1169): primarily adjust wording about how the requirements apply to charter and innovation zone schools and make technical renumbering/formatting changes.
Who is affected
- Directly affected: public school districts, charter schools, innovation zone schools operating breakfast/lunch programs in Minnesota.
- Indirectly affected: food vendors, schools’ food-service procurement processes, students and families (menu changes), and contractors who supply school food.
- Federal intersection: Many school food purchases and menus are governed by USDA procurement rules and federal meal reimbursement programs.
Fiscal and operational impact
- State: Fiscal note finds no expected state fiscal impact.
- Local (school districts): Potential increased costs for replacing prohibited items and sourcing compliant alternatives. Costs will vary by district based on current menus and procurement arrangements and cannot be estimated statewide.
- Federal procurement: The Department of Education receives federal funds and must comply with USDA procurement; if USDA‑required food items contain a prohibited ingredient, local authorities may need to procure alternatives via competitive bidding, which could affect timing and cost.
Procedural status and related bills
- Introduced: Feb 6, 2025; placed on calendar.
- Fiscal note prepared: Feb 20, 2025.
- Amendments filed: H‑1138 and H‑1139 (Mar 19, 2025); H‑1169 (Mar 25, 2025).
- Referred: initially to Capital Investment (Feb 10, 2025); later referred to Education (Apr 3, 2025).
- Companion bill: SF 1010.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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