Latest news with #PatrickMcMath
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Louisiana looks to RFK Jr. for school lunch guidelines, limits on SNAP purchases
Sen. Patrick McMath looks ahead from his desk in the Senate Chamber. (Allison Allsop/Louisiana Illuminator) Louisiana lawmakers advanced sweeping nutrition legislation that would regulate purchases of sugary beverages with federal food assistance and limit what ingredients can be served in public school school lunches. Senate Bill 14 by Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington, cleared the Louisiana Senate Committee of Health and Welfare on a party-line 4-3 vote, with Republicans prevailing. McMath's bill is part of a nationwide backlash against 'ultra-processed foods,' food dyes, seed oils and certain chemicals in foods that U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has targeted for elimination. Kennedy is the central figure of the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement. McMath said he is working with Kennedy on his bill. 'I think, for the first time in a very long time, and perhaps maybe ever, Americans, Louisianians, are paying close attention to what our individual health outcomes are and our individual health outcomes for our children and our grandchildren,' McMath said. Democrats on the committee raised concerns that the legislature is not taking a holistic look at the factors causing poor health outcomes in Louisiana. 'Louisiana has a lot of chemical industry in our state. Those plants produce a lot of carcinogens that's in the air we breathe, and we tend to turn our backs sometimes and let those things go,' Sen. Jay Luneau, D-Alexandria, said. 'So we need to be more mindful and consider all of those things.' In an interview after the hearing, McMath said his bill is a starting point toward addressing larger issues in Louisiana. 'The types of environments that we're surrounded by can be pretty toxic,' McMath said. 'And while I would love to wave a magic wand and clean up air and water and other things, I think the lowest hanging fruit … is we can start with the food that we're that we're putting in our body.' The original version of his legislation banned the purchase of soft drinks with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits but was amended to prohibit buying beverages with more than five grams of added sugar or any artificial sweetener. Drinks that include milk or milk substitutes would be exempt from this prohibition. Democrats also objected to this provision of the bill, saying it would further marginalize poor children who could be ostracized for not being able to afford lunchbox items their peers can. McMath's SNAP restrictions are actually more limited than those in previous legislative proposals, which have included bans on chips and candy. McMath said he was aware many Louisianians live in food deserts, and he did not want to prevent people who might only be able to shop at convenience stores from eating. If McMath's bill passes, the state would still have to receive permission from the federal government to limit SNAP benefits. Further amendments on the bill removed references to 'ultra-processed' foods and instead listed ingredients prohibited in school lunches. They include food dyes that are common allergens and zero-calorie sweeteners such as sucralose, more commonly known as Splenda. The committee adopted amendments to allow food items with prohibited ingredients to be sold in vending machines and from concession stands at school events. The bill also requires food packages to include a warning that the contents 'may be harmful to your health' if it includes certain ingredients. That list includes aspartame, a common zero-calorie sweetener. McMath's legislation would also require restaurants to post notices when they use oils derived from the seeds of plants. Certain medical professionals would be required to take nutrition courses as part of their continuing education under the bill that heads next to the Senate floor. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Louisiana Legislature weighs removing fluoride from public water systems
Getty Images/Ajax9 Over the objections of dentists, a Louisiana Senate committee advanced a bill Wednesday that would set an almost impossibly high bar for public systems to add fluoride to their drinking water supply. In its original state, Senate Bill 2 by Sen. Mike Fesi, R-Houma, would have prohibited public water systems from fluoridating their water, which is done to prevent tooth decay. The practice began in the United States in the 1940s and is widely supported by major dental and medical associations. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee amended the bill to allow fluoridation only if voters approve, which would involve what committee chair and bill co-author Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington, described as an 'incredibly difficult' process. The legislation advanced after the committee approved the amendments, which Sen. Gerald Beaudreaux, D-Lafayette, put forward before ultimately voting against the bill. The changes would allow local residents to vote on whether they want their system to be fluoridated, but only after at least 15% of voters the system services petition for the election. McMath likened it to the process for recalling an elected official, a very burdensome process that rarely succeeds in Louisiana. The bill, which Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham supports, is based on the premise that fluoride is harmful. In high doses, the chemical, like many others, can cause adverse health effects. But at the amount present in American water systems, there is scant evidence fluoride presents a health risk. 'Too much or too little of anything is bad for you, including vitamins and water,' said Anne Jayes, senior policy manager with the Louisiana Public Health Institute. 'Too little [fluoride] can lead to poor dental hygiene, cavities and poor bone health, including osteoporosis.' At the recommended level of 0.7 milligrams per liter of water, fluoride strengthens teeth and helps prevent decay, especially in communities where access to dental care is limited, Jayes added. In places where fluoride has been removed from the water systems, studies have found drastic increases in pediatric dental complications. After Calgary Canada stopped fluoridating its water in 2011, a decision it reversed in 2021, there was a 700% increase in the number of children receiving IV antibiotics at a local hospital for dental infections and abscesses. Annette Droddy, executive director of the Louisiana Dental Association, represents nearly 2,000 dentists in Louisiana. She warned the passage of the bill would lead to an increase in state spending for its Medicaid dental program. The bill will next be debated by the Senate. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Louisiana bill proposes SNAP soda ban, part of broader nutrition push
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Louisiana lawmakers will soon consider a bill that would ban the purchase of sodas using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Senate Bill 14, authored by Sen. Patrick McMath (R-Covington), would require the state Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to submit a waiver to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The waiver would seek permission for Louisiana to prohibit SNAP recipients from purchasing soft drinks, defined in the bill as beverages containing added sweeteners—including sodas, sports drinks, and sugar-sweetened beverages. Exceptions include drinks with milk, milk substitutes, or more than 50% vegetable or fruit juice. The bill would also require DCFS to resubmit the waiver request annually if it is initially denied, and to notify the legislature within 30 days of any denial. If approved, restrictions would need to be implemented within six months. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, more than 847,000 Louisiana residents currently receive SNAP benefits. The program provides financial assistance for low-income households to purchase food. The legislation is part of a broader public health push that also includes restrictions on ultra-processed foods in schools and new labeling requirements for products containing certain additives. It is one of several health-focused proposals pre-filed ahead of Louisiana's 2025 regular legislative session, which begins April 14. Gov. Jeff Landry has publicly supported the bill and connected it to a broader national health initiative known as Make America Healthy Again (MAHA). The campaign, organized by a political action committee of the same name, promotes public policies aimed at improving food quality, reducing chronic disease, and limiting exposure to harmful substances. MAHA was co-founded by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and encourages states to take legislative action on public health issues. In a March 28 post on X, Landry said Louisiana would help lead the movement. Kennedy responded, saying the governor had supported the effort 'from when it took pure courage.' RFK Jr. is targeting ultraprocessed foods: What are they, and are they bad? National Weather Service no longer translating products for non-English speakers Baton Rouge man who killed his neighbor, shot at deputies sentenced to life Louisiana bill proposes SNAP soda ban, part of broader nutrition push Trump to host El Salvador's president amid US deportation efforts Aguilar says Democrats won't participate in 'vote pairing' after Johnson kills proxy effort Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
