Middle and elementary school students craving a Coke during the school day may be in trouble.
A bill that would ban the sale of sugary drinks in Texas middle and elementary schools is heading to Gov. Rick Perry’s desk for final approval.
If it’s signed, Texas public schools can only sell water, low or fat free milk, and 100% fruit or vegetable juice. Sen. Carlos Uresti sponsored the bill. He says the bill originally covered high schools too, but that was removed due to opposition:
“The thought was they’re teenagers, they’re young adults and they need to be make decisions on their own and I understand that," Uresti says. "And that’s something we’ll come back and look at next legislative session as well.”
Uresti says Texas is the 12th most obese state in the country.
If the governor signs the bill, it will take effect next school year. But vending machines that currently sell sugary beverages would not need to remove those drinks until their contracts are up.
