Senate Leadership
April 27, 2006
House Passes Senator Williams' Historic School Nutrition Bill
Connecticut's school children win, soda and junk food industries lose; bill goes to the governor
State Senate President Pro Tempore Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) today claimed victory over the high-powered soda and junk food companies and their lobbyists with House passage of the Healthy Schools Initiative. The toughest-in-the-nation legislation will completely ban soda and other sugary drinks while providing incentives for school districts to choose healthy food and snacks for their students. The bill heads to Governor Jodi Rell's desk. She has said publicly that she supports the bill. State Department of Education Commissioner Betty J. Sternberg also worked hard to reach a consensus on the bill.
Sen. Williams, a former chairman of the legislature's Select Committee on Children, said there were tremendous obstacles to passage of the bill every step of the way. "Despite the fact that the scientific evidence is overwhelming, despite the fact that parents organizations, educators, pediatricians and nutritionists support the bill, and despite 68 percent of Connecticut citizens favoring the banning of soda in our public schools, this was a 'David and Goliath' fight," he said.
"The soda and junk food lobby filled the Capitol with misinformation. They talked one way but acted another as we demonstrated by unmasking of soda contracts that showed the companies paid a higher rate of commission to schools for soda sales than for other, healthier products that they also sell."
Sen. Williams noted that Republicans, particularly House Republicans, did everything they could to kill the bill with procedural moves. "Just as they did last year, Republicans filibustered this bill in committee and then again on the House floor. They chose to side with the big-money lobbyists representing multimillion dollar, multinational national soda companies instead of supporting what parents want-for schools to act as responsible caretakers and complement the healthy nutrition habits they are instilling at home."
"The soda and junk food industries spent more than $250,000 to kill this bill last year and there is no reason to believe they'll stop the flood of cash for lobbyists trying to kill this measure, which addresses the childhood obesity epidemic we are facing," Sen. Williams said. "We have the facts and the overwhelming scientific evidence on our side, and we will continue to do everything we can to get this information out. Parents and the PTAs across the state, the state's school superintendents, the School Nutrition Association of Connecticut and pediatricians all support this bill. 68% of the people of Connecticut support banning soda from our schools."
Added Sen. Williams, "This debate has been distinguished, at times, by thoughtful debate based on facts. Unfortunately, it has also been marked by an extensive and coordinated misinformation campaign undertaken by the lobbyists for the soda companies and junk food industry."
Sen. Williams noted Sen. Thomas Gaffey (D-Meriden), Sen. Joseph Crisco (D-Woodbridge) and Sen. Ed Meyer (D-Guilford) have played leading roles in moving the legislation forward.
"What I like best about this initiative is the lesson it teaches young people that soda and high-sugared drinks should be taken in moderation, and that the food they eat should be low-fat, nutritious food," Sen. Gaffey said. "We are morally and legally responsible for the education of these public school students and part of that education should be about how to take care of themselves."
"I've been working on school nutrition legislation for several years," said Sen. Crisco. "I'm certain this bill will give Connecticut a leadership role in promoting nutritional health for our school children."
"There are an estimated nine million overweight children in America, and that number has more than doubled in the last decade," said Sen. Meyer, the current co-chair of the Select Committee on Children. "The culprit is sugar, no question. So today I voted to stand on the side of children and PTAs and the health associations that support this bill and to tell the soda industry 'enough.'"
"The real issue here is that when schools step into the role of 'caretaker,' parents expect schools to complement what they are trying to do-provide their children with healthy food and snacks," Sen. Williams said. "This is our chance to move forward in that respect."
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