A last-minute change to the bill gave committee members the chance to weigh in on the controversial measure.
A bill that would impose a tax on sugary soft drinks has passed a legislative hurdle.
The measure would assess a one-cent-per-ounce tax on carbonated soft drinks that contain a caloric sweetener. Proceeds from the tax would fund public education and outreach programs on obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
The legislature's Committee on Children met for what was supposed to be a simple up or down vote, but a last-minute change to the bill gave committee members the chance to weigh in on the controversial measure.
Democratic State Senator Beth Bye supports the bill, citing a study by Harvard pediatrician David Ludwig thatlinks the consumption of sugary sodas to childhood obesity. "He says that the only proven specific food that clinical research has shown that is linked to weight gains is soda," Bye said. "The highly concentrated sugars -- they promote overeating. It's a systemic effect."
Republican State Representative Pam Staneski said there is a lot she likes about the bill, but doubts whether the measure as it's written would actually encourage young people to make healthy choices at the vending machine. "I think what we are doing, is we are just going to see a rise in children and parents buying high concentrated fruit juices that have very high content in sugar, and Gatorade and energy drinks," Staneski said.
Several members of the Committee on Children expressed concern that the bill does not contain language that would protect the money collected from the tax from being swept into the state's general fund. The measure ended up passing on a seven-to-six vote, and now awaits action by the House of Representatives.
