EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0263*
SENATE BILL 263
J1 2lr0822
CF 2lr1230
By: Senator Beidle
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2022
Assigned to: Finance
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Health – Food Service Facilities – Beverage Options With Children’s Meals 2
FOR the purpose of requiring a food service facility that offers children’s meals to offer 3
certain beverages as the default beverages included with the meal; and generally 4
relating to food service facilities and children’s meals. 5
BY adding to 6
Article – Health – General 7
Section 21–330.3 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 10
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12
Article – Health – General 13
21–330.3. 14
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 15
INDICATED. 16
(2) “CHILDREN’S MEAL” MEANS A COMBINATION OF FOOD AND 17
BEVERAGE: 18
(I) SOLD TOGETHER AT A SI NGLE PRICE BY A FOOD SERVICE 19
FACILITY; AND 20
(II) PRIMARILY INTENDED FO R CONSUMPTION BY CHI LDREN. 21 2 SENATE BILL 263
(3) “DEFAULT BEVERAGE ” MEANS A BEVERAGE AUT OMATICALLY 1
INCLUDED OR OFFERED AS PART OF A CHILDRE N’S MEAL ABSENT A SPEC IFIC 2
REQUEST FOR A SUBSTITUTE OR ALTE RNATE BEVERAGE BY TH E PURCHASER OF THE 3
CHILDREN’S MEAL. 4
(B) A FOOD SERVICE FACILIT Y OFFERING CHILDREN ’S MEALS FOR SALE 5
SHALL OFFER AS THE DEFAULT BEVERAGE WIT H THE CHILDREN ’S MEAL: 6
(1) WATER THAT IS UNFLAVORED , UNSWEETENED , AND 7
UNCARBONATED ; 8
(2) (I) WHOLE, NONFAT, OR LOW FAT 1% OR 2% PASTEURIZED COW 9
MILK WITH NO ADDED FLAVORS OR SWEETENERS ; OR 10
(II) A NONDAIRY BEVERAGE THA T IS NUTRITIONALLY 11
EQUIVALENT TO FLUID COW MILK IN A SERVING OF 8 OUNCES OR LESS ; OR 12
(3) A BEVERAGE IN A SERVIN G OF 6 OUNCES OR LESS THAT CONSISTS 13
OF 100% FRUIT JUICE OR VEGET ABLE JUICE OR A COMBINATION OF 100% FRUIT 14
JUICE AND VEGETABLE JUICE. 15
(C) THIS SECTION DOES NOT PRECLUDE A FOOD SERV ICE FACILITY FROM 16
PROVIDING, ON A PURCHASER ’S REQUEST , ANY LAWFUL BEVERAGE AS A 17
SUBSTITUTE OR ALTERN ATIVE FOR THE DEFAULT BEVERAGE OFFERED IN 18
ACCORDANCE WITH SUBS ECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 19
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That t his Act shall take effect 20
October 1, 2022. 21