A bill that would have required warnings on all sugar-sweetened beverages in California died in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday.
The bill, AB 1335 authored by Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Alameda), would have required that every sugar-sweetened beverage sold in California in a sealed container be labeled with the words, “STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAFETY WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay.” Vending machines that offered those drinks would have been required to have warning labels as well.
Supporters, including the Service Employees International Union and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, argued that children who consume just one sugar-sweetened beverage each day have an increased chance of being overweight and having related health complications.
Groups that represent the beverage industry opposed AB 1335, claiming it would unfairly single out their products as contributors to poor health and that labeling containers would prove ineffective, costly and burdensome.
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