HB491 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Reed IngramRepresentative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Public K-12 Schools; prohibited from selling, allowing the sale of, or providing food items containing certain additives, subject to exceptions

Summary

HB491 would ban public K-12 schools in Alabama from selling or serving foods containing certain food color additives, with a fundraising exception, starting August 1, 2025.

What This Bill Does

The bill prohibits public K-12 schools from selling, permitting the sale of, serving, or providing any food item that contains specific color additives (Red No. 3, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, Green No. 3). It allows a workaround for fundraising events: such items can be sold if the event is off-campus or if on-campus sales occur at least 30 minutes after the end of the school day. The rule becomes effective on August 1, 2025.

Who It Affects

• Public K-12 schools and their school food service programs in Alabama, which must stop selling or providing foods containing the listed additives (with exceptions for fundraising events).
• Students and families, who may see changes in available snacks at school and during fundraising events, and may experience different timing or options for fundraiser foods.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits sale, permitting sale, serving, or providing any food item containing Red Dye No. 3, Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5, Yellow Dye No. 6, Blue Dye No. 1, Blue Dye No. 2, or Green Dye No. 3 in public K-12 schools.
• Allows an exception for fundraising events: items with these additives may be sold if the event is off-campus or if on-campus sales occur at least 30 minutes after the end of the school day.
• Effective date: August 1, 2025.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.