PHOENIX, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Arizona state Rep. Mark Andersen has proposed legislation banning the sale of soft drinks and candy during the school day, the Arizona Republic said Friday.
Anderson's school nutrition legislation prohibits K-12 public schools from selling soft drinks and foods of "minimal nutritional value" such as candy, chewing gum, lollipops and licorice. Schools, the Republican from Mesa said, have a responsibility to help students be healthy.
Many schools across the United States have resisted similar bans because soft drinks and snacks bring in thousands of dollars each year. Money from snack bars and vending machines often fund school clubs, field trips and athletic gear.
Anderson's legislation only applies to food served during school and exempts concession stands at football games and at evening events. The legislation was proposed just days before the release of an Arizona Department of Education pilot study looking at whether schools get hit financially by offering healthier snacks and drinks.
Under Anderson's proposal, the state Department of Education would be directed to develop nutrition standards for snacks and beverages.
