Dear JPA Members:
Staff would like to bring to your attention to three new developments regarding beverage taxes and warning labels at the state level.
California SB 203 fails
In Tuesday afternoon's hearing of the California Senate Committee on Health, committee members rejected SB 203, a bill that would require government warning labels to be affixed to sugar-sweetened beverages, including juice drinks, sold in California. The bill received a 4-1 vote, but needed 5 aye votes to pass. SB 203, sponsored by State Senator Bill Monning, is dead for the year, but may be reconsidered in 2016 since this is the first of a two-year legislative session in Sacramento.
California AB 1357 to tax sugar sweetened beverages, including juice drinks
California Assemblyman, Richard Bloom amended AB 1357 yesterday to include a 2-cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages with 5 gm of sugar/12 ounces (20 calories). The bill would impose a fee on every restuarant, convenience store and grocery store that distributes sweetened beverage concentrate or sweetened beverages in the state. JPA is signing a coalition letter, sponsored by CalBev, the Californian arm of the American Beverage Association, to oppose the bill.
New York A02320B advances in Albany
Meanwhile, a proposal to make the beverage industry place health warning labels on sugar-sweetened beverages is advancing in the New York State Assembly. The bill, introduced by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, was forwarded on Wednesday to the Committee on Codes, often a bill's last stop before a floor vote. However, the measure still faces major hurdles, particularly in the Republican-led state Senate according to the Associated Press.
JPA will continue to monitor these bills and other initiatives at the state level and keep members apprised of developments. Please let us know if you have any questions.
JPA Updates & News Scans are provided as a service exclusively to JPA members. Please do not share these communications outside the membership.
JPA Staff
529 14th St. NW, Suite 750
Washington, DC 20045
202-591-2438
jpa@kellencompany.com