---
title: HB 642. Georgia Dye Free School Meals Act; enact
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb642
cite_as: HB 642, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb642
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb642.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb642/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70841
date: 2025-02-28
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-12
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb642.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 642
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-26
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Marvin Lim
- Kasey Carpenter
- Michelle Au
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB642/2025
upstream_id: 1986209
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- school meals
- food dyes
- public schools
- child health
- food safety
---
# HB 642. Georgia Dye Free School Meals Act; enact
## Text
House Bill 642
By: Representatives Lim of the 98th, Carpenter of the 4th, and Au of the 50th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to student health, so as to prohibit public primary and secondary schools
from serving or selling, or allowing a third party to serve or sell, food or beverages that
contain synthetic dye; to provide for a definition; to provide for certification of compliance;
to provide legislative findings; to provide a short title; to provide for related matters; to
repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Dye Free School Meals Act."
SECTION 2.
The General Assembly finds that:
(1) Scientific research has demonstrated that synthetic food dyes can contribute to
hyperactivity, inattention, restlessness, sleeplessness, irritability, aggression, and other
behavioral challenges in some children. These effects can impact a child's ability to
learn, focus, and participate in educational activities; and
(2) Taxpayer funded meal and snack programs provided to children in public schools
should support, not hinder, a child's cognitive and behavioral development. School meals
and snacks should prioritize nourishment to promote the health and well-being of children
and their abilities to meet educational expectations.
SECTION 3.
Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to student health, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"20-2-779.5.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'synthetic dye' means:
(1) Blue 1;
(2) Blue 2;
(3) Green 3;
(4) Red 3;
(5) Red 40;
(6) Yellow 5; or
(7) Yellow 6.
(b) Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, no public primary or secondary school shall
serve or sell, or allow a third party to serve or sell, any food or beverage that contains
synthetic dye on school grounds during the regular school day or as part of a school
breakfast program.
(c) This Code section shall not be construed so as to prohibit the parent or guardian of a
student at a public primary or secondary school from providing food or beverages that
contain synthetic dye to such parent's or guardian's child or for a school or classroom event.
(d) The Department of Education shall develop a standardized form that public primary
and secondary schools may use to certify that such schools are in compliance with the
provisions of this Code section. The Department of Education shall maintain a list of
schools that have certified compliance with the provisions of this Code section and shall
make such list available on its public website."
SECTION 4.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
House Bill 642 would ban Georgia public schools from serving or selling food or drinks containing certain artificial dyes starting in the 2026-2027 school year.
### Plain-language summary
This bill, called the Georgia Dye Free School Meals Act, would add a new section to Georgia's student health laws (O.C.G.A. Title 20). It defines seven synthetic dyes, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, and bans public primary and secondary schools from serving or selling food or drinks containing any of them on school grounds during the regular school day or through breakfast programs. The ban also applies to third parties, such as vendors, who serve or sell food on campus.
The bill states legislative findings that synthetic dyes have been linked to hyperactivity, inattention, and other behavioral effects in some children that can interfere with learning. Parents and guardians could still bring dyed food or drinks for their own child or for a school or classroom event. The Department of Education would create a standard form schools use to certify compliance and would publish a list of certified schools on its website. The rule would start with the 2026-2027 school year.
### What it does
- Bans public primary and secondary schools from serving or selling food or beverages containing any of seven listed synthetic dyes starting in the 2026-2027 school year.
- Extends the ban to third parties, meaning outside vendors or companies cannot sell dyed food or drinks on school grounds during the school day or breakfast program.
- Allows parents or guardians to bring dyed food or drinks for their own child or for a school or classroom event, exempting personal and event use.
- Directs the Department of Education to create a standardized compliance certification form for schools.
- Requires the Department of Education to keep and publicly post online a list of schools that have certified compliance.
### Who it affects
Public elementary and secondary schools and their food service staff, students who eat school meals, parents and guardians, outside food vendors or third parties who sell food on campus, and the Georgia Department of Education, which must create the certification form and maintain the public compliance list.
### Why it matters
If enacted, cafeteria food and vended snacks in Georgia public schools would need to be reformulated or swapped for dye-free versions by the 2026-2027 school year, changing what food service programs and campus vendors can offer during the school day and breakfast programs.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 names the bill the 'Georgia Dye Free School Meals Act.'
- Section 2 states legislative findings that synthetic dyes may contribute to hyperactivity and behavioral issues affecting children's learning.
- Section 3 adds new Code section 20-2-779.5, defining 'synthetic dye' to include Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6.
- Section 3(b) bans schools and third parties from serving or selling food or beverages with these dyes on school grounds during the school day or breakfast program, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.
- Section 3(c) exempts food or drinks brought by a parent or guardian for their own child or for a school or classroom event.
- Section 3(d) requires the Department of Education to create a certification form and publish a list of compliant schools online.
- Section 4 repeals conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-26)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2025-02-28)
- Sponsors: Marvin Lim, Kasey Carpenter, Michelle Au
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70841
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb642.md?full=1