THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	791
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to food dyes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that food dye additives are used to enhance the appearance of food products to be aesthetically more pleasing and add value to the products.

The legislature further finds that food dyes do not increase the nutritional quality of food products or improve safety to the consumer. The United States Food and Drug Administration has a list of color additives approved use for human food. Some food dye additives are manufactured as powders and liquids and are used in baked goods, dairy products, dry mixes, and a variety of other products. California has recently banned foods containing six specified food dye additives: Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 from being sold to students in schools. The National Library of Medicine has several publications, including Toxicology of Food Dyes, that proves many United States-approved food dyes, including Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, raise health concerns, especially in adolescents.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to prohibit the food dye additives Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 from being served to students in state department of education and charter schools.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part II, subpart C, to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A- School meals; prohibited food dyes. No school meal available under a school meals program shall contain any of the following substances:

(1) Blue 1 (Chemical Abstracts Service number 3844-45-9);

(2) Blue 2 (Chemical Abstracts Service number 860-22-0);

(3) Green 3 (Chemical Abstracts Service number 2353-45-9);

(4) Red 40 (Chemical Abstracts Service number 25956-17-6);

(5) Yellow 5 (Chemical Abstracts Service number 1934‑21‑0); or

(6) Yellow 6 (Chemical Abstracts Service number 2783‑94‑0)."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

DOE; School Meals; Food Dyes; Charter Schools

Description:

Prohibits certain food dye additives from being served in school meals of the Department of Education and charter schools.

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