A bill that would have required warnings on the labels of sugar-sweetened beverages sold in California died in the Senate Appropriations Committee this month (Los Angeles Times). Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Alameda) introduced the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Safety Warning Act, AB 1335, in February 2018.

AB 1335 would have banned the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages in sealed beverage containers in California unless the container bears the safety warning shown below.

• STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAFETY WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay.

The bill also would have required the posting of warning signs on vending machines that dispense sugar-sweetened beverages.

California’s governor recently signed a bill that prohibits local government agencies from imposing new taxes on “groceries.”  As previously reported on this blog, that bill was widely seen as a ban on new taxes on sugary drinks in particular.