House committee substitute makes the following changes to 1st edition.
Repeals GS 115C-264.2, the current statute regarding vending machine sales.
Deletes proposed changes to GS 115C-264.3 (Child Nutrition Program standards) and instead enacts new GS 115C-264.4 requiring the State Board of Education (Board), in cooperation with the various stakeholders, to adopt nutritional rules for all competitive foods and beverages sold or served to students. Directs the Board to adopt either of the following standards as the initial statewide standard for competitive foods and beverages: (1) the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Competitive Foods and Beverages Guidelines or (2) the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine’s Recommended Standards for Competitive Foods and Beverages in Schools. Requires that the rules must include, but are not limited to, standards for calorie, fat, sugar, and sodium content.
Directs the Board to report on the status of the final rules by April 30, 2012, to the Joint Legislative Health Care Oversight Committee and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee. Requires the Board to adopt the rules by April 30, 2012, and directs local boards of education to implement the rules by the start of the 2012-13 school year. Directs the Board to periodically review the nutritional rules for competitive foods and beverages to ensure that the rules remain current and science-based. Also requires the Board to review the nutritional rules when there are any changes in federal law regarding competitive food.
Defines competitive food as any food or beverage sold or served to students on school grounds that is not a part of the school breakfast or school lunch program. Includes vending, school stores, snack bars, fund-raisers, and other informal food sales to students. Does not include child nutrition programs, culinary and other curriculum programs, fundraisers for grades 9-12 conducted after the last lunch period of the day, and extracurricular events.
Includes, in new GS 115C-264.4, the following provisions from repealed GS 115C-264.2: (1) prohibits making snack vending or soft drinks available to elementary school students and (2) provides that a school is not prohibited from adopting stricter rules than provided in this act with respect to snack and beverage vending.