HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1840        FILED ON: 1/20/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1525

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Jeffrey Sánchez

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to nutrition in government buildings.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1840        FILED ON: 1/20/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1525

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

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An Act relative to nutrition in government buildings.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting, after section 224, the following section:-

Section 225. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, have the following meanings:- 

“Competitive foods or beverages”, all foods or beverages sold or provided in vending machines; provided that competitive foods or beverages shall not include non-sweetened carbonated water. 

“Government buildings”, all executive offices, boards, commissions, agencies, departments, divisions, councils, bureaus, and offices, now existing and hereafter established.  

"Nutritional standards”, the standards promulgated by the department of public health. 

(b) All foods or beverages sold or provided in government buildings shall meet nutritional standards as promulgated by the department; provided, that the department shall consider nutritional and dietary recommendations as developed by state, federal and independent departments and health advisory associations.

(c) All competitive beverages sold in vending machines in government buildings shall be limited to beverages that comply with the nutritional standards. 

(d) All competitive foods sold in vending machines in government buildings shall be limited to competitive foods that comply with the nutritional standards.  

(e) All government buildings shall report all foods and beverages that comply with the nutritional standards to the operational services division, including but not limited to vendor and products.

(f) The operational services division of the executive office for administration and finance shall procure a state-wide contract for vending machines that provide or sell competitive foods or beverages that shall meet nutritional standards, provided that the division shall negotiate lower prices.

(g) Every 2 years, the department shall conduct a review of the nutritional standards and update the nutritional standards as needed. 

SECTION 2.  The department of public health shall promulgate standards required by this act on or before July 1, 2011.  

SECTION 3.  Subsection (d) of section 225 of chapter 111 of the general laws shall take effect on July 1, 2014. 

SECTION 4.  Subsection (f) of said section 225 of said chapter 111 shall take effect on July 1, 2016.