Signed along with multiple other bills from the 89th Legislative Session by Gov. Greg Abbott, the “Make Texas Healthy Again” initiative includes multiple pillars that will be implemented over the next two and a half years to work toward creating a healthier Texas.
Senate Bill 25, authored by State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), contains four main provisions:
- protecting physical recess time for children in K-6th grade
- requiring nutrition to be taught in Texas’ primary, secondary, and medical schools
- the development of the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee
- requiring food manufacturers to include a clear warning label on products containing certain additives
By December 31, 2025, the governor is to appoint seven individuals to the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee, which will research the effects of processed foods and submit an annual report to the state with updated guidelines, recommendations, and summaries of studies.
The committee’s first report is due September 1, 2026.
Starting December 31, 2025, food manufacturers must clearly label products sold in Texas with a warning if they contain ingredients such as artificial flavoring, food colorings, or preservatives.
The law outlines the specific text and visibility requirements for the warning label that manufacturers must follow.
Additionally, the State Board of Education must include in the health curriculum for K-8th grade students instruction on nutrition and a nutrition elective for high school students. Both must be based on guidelines given by the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee and implemented into the state’s curriculum by the 2027-2028 school year.
Children in Texas K-8 schools are also required, when practical, to have at least 30 minutes of recess for physical activity outside. School officials are also prohibited from restricting a child’s recess time as punishment for behavior or academic performance.
Starting July 1, 2027, medical schools in Texas will only be able to receive state funds if they develop a nutrition curriculum based on guidelines laid out by the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee and require all students studying any medical-related field to enroll.
SB 25 was a priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and passed unanimously out of the Texas Senate.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised Texas’ movement on the issue, saying Texas was “leading the way.”
“I call on governors across the nation to join us in our pursuit to Make America Healthy Again,” he wrote in a post on X.
