Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to meals, food, and beverages provided to students enrolled in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, and including applicability provisions
Sponsored by the House Education Committee
Topics:K–12 education
Same legislation: HSB 5
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 14, 2025
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 14, 2025
- Done: House committeeJanuary 29, 2025
- Stopped: Passes the HouseDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Senate committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The General Assembly adjourned on October 2, 2026. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill relates to meals, food, and beverages provided to students enrolled in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools. The bill provides that, when necessary, school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools are required to use natural fats and oils to prepare meals to be served to students as part of the school’s breakfast or lunch program. The bill prohibits schools from using margarine to prepare a meal to be served to students as part of the school district’s breakfast or lunch program.
Read the full explanation
The bill defines “margarine” as any food product that is a substitute for butter and that is made with fats or oils that are not natural fats and oils. The bill defines “natural fats and oils” as butter, beef tallow, lard, coconut oil, avocado oil, and olive oil. The bill prohibits school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools from serving meals to students as part of the school’s breakfast or lunch program that contain blue dye 1, blue dye 2, brominated vegetable oil, green dye 3, margarine, potassium bromate, propylparaben, red dye 3, red dye 40, yellow dye 5, or yellow dye 6. The bill also prohibits schools from permitting the sale of any beverages that contain such ingredients during a school function or school-sponsored activity unless the sale does not take place on school district property or unless the sale takes place at least minutes after the end of the school day. The bill applies to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2027.
From the explanation printed with the bill as introduced, written by the Legislative Services Agency. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected. Full bill text
House subcommittee
Named January 14, 2025 (as HSB 5). On January 22, 2025 it recommended amendment and passage.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
Fiscal note
Can’t be estimated Compare with other bills
There is no expected fiscal impact for the State. However, school districts may have increased meal item costs to meet the requirements of the Bill. Because school districts are independent of each other, including school menus, food items, and supply resources, any increased costs would be specific to each individual school district and cannot be determined at this time.
- School Nutrition, Prohibited Ingredients · February 20, 2025
Nonpartisan cost estimates from the Legislative Services Agency’s Fiscal Services Division. The newest is first. Reading a fiscal note
Iowa Code it changes
Creates§283A.6
Read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. How the Code works
Lobbying
1 for · 10 against · 12 undecided · Who →
Family tree
Where this legislation came from and where it went: earlier tries, the versions it moved through this Assembly, and later bills built on it.
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91st General Assembly
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