Contact Your MA Legislator for School Nutrition!

Tomorrow may be a historic day for school nutrition in Massachusetts!

This Thursday, the Massachusetts House plans to vote on House Bill 4438 (previously HB 2092), also known as the School Nutrition Bill. This would be a milestone in Massachusetts school nutrition history, as no previous bill has set standards for the types and quality of food sold in school besides the VERY minimal federal regulations.

If you want our schools to be healthier places for our kids, then contact your legislator by TOMORROW!

You can find out more about the School Nutrition Bill and the Local Farm Products Bill (HB 2017), which will *hopefully* also be incorporated in the final document, at the Massachusetts Public Health Association website.

To find out who your State Representative is and how to contact them click here.

This is what I wrote to my Representative...
Representative Sanchez,
Thank you for your past committment to advancing public health priorities at the State House. As a constituent in your district I want to tell you how excited I am that the School Nutrition Bill will be voted on tomorrow. I am in full support of House Bill 4438, along with the Local Farm Products Bill (HB2107). I hope that the local farm bill can be incorporated into the final iteration of the legislation.

Thank you for your commitment to advancing the health of Massachusetts residents, particularly by addressing the nutrition and food quality needs of our kids.

I look forward to hearing about progress of the bill as it makes its way to the House floor for a vote.

Best,
Katelyn Mack
 
(B.T.W. my letter is a little different than others might be -- perhaps easier -- given that he is sponsoring the bill as co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health!)

About the School Nutrition Bill
The Massachusetts School Nutrition Bill (now HB 4438) establishes the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to set nutrition standards for foods sold in school vending machines, school stores, and cafeteria a la carte lines. These are common places where our kids get unhealthy and addictive foods during or immediately following the school day. The guidelines would also have to recommend that fresh fruits and vegetables be made available in cafeterias, which some school districts like Somerville, are already doing. This is a strong bill and Massachusetts would become a leader in the nation should it pass this week.

Be a part of this historic vote!