HB 3736
bill bars seven artificial dyes from school meals
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to prohibiting certain additives from being included in food and drinks provided by school districts.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Caramel coloring too, and anything substantially similar.
The bill bars Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools that serve meals from providing any food or drink containing seven named artificial dyes, caramel coloring, or any substantially similar additive. It touches school food programs, the vendors that supply them, and the students who eat school meals. Starting with the 2025-2026 school year, school cafeterias would have to drop products containing those listed substances.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 4, 2025 and referred to the House Public Education committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB3736 · 2025-03-04
SOLD BY
+ 10 coauthors
ITEM
relating to prohibiting certain additives from being included in food and drinks provided by school districts.
WHAT IT DOES
Caramel coloring too, and anything substantially similar.
The bill bars Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools that serve meals from providing any food or drink containing seven named artificial dyes, caramel coloring, or any substantially similar additive. It touches school food programs, the vendors that supply them, and the students who eat school meals. Starting with the 2025-2026 school year, school cafeterias would have to drop products containing those listed substances.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Public Education
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$20,000.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$20,000.00
- Cash
- $20,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $20,000.00
Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 8, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101007132, 101027774, 101071421.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$20,000.00
- Cash
- $20,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $20,000.00
Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 8, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101007132, 101027774, 101071421.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Mar 4, 2025
03/26/2025 H Referred to Public Education: Mar 26 2025 11:31AM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Public Education · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Consumer Protection
Education--School Districts
Health--General
Minors--Health & Safety
Safety
FOOD
Text
The text as introduced · 213 words
89R15840 BCH-D By: Shofner H.B. No. 3736 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to prohibiting certain additives from being included in food and drinks provided by school districts. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 33, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 33.9011 to read as follows: Sec. 33.9011. PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN ADDITIVES IN FOOD AND DRINKS PROVIDED BY SCHOOLS. A school district or open-enrollment charter school that provides meals to students may not provide any food or drink that contains the following substances: (1) red 3 (CAS 16423-68-0); (2) red 40 (CAS 25956-17-6); (3) yellow 5 (CAS 1934-21-0); (4) yellow 6 (CAS 2783-94-0); (5) blue 1 (CAS 3844-45-9); (6) blue 2 (CAS 860-22-0); (7) green 3 (CAS 2353-45-9); (8) caramel (CAS 8028-89-5); or (9) any additive that is substantially similar to an additive specified in Subdivisions (1) through (8). SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.