State lawmakers have approved a bill allowing student groups to sell sweets in school to raise money. Senate Bill 139 now goes to Gov. Rick Snyder’s desk.
Student groups have complained new federal guidelines have hindered their ability to fundraise by holding bake sales. Those guidelines are meant to reduce the amount of unhealthy food sold in schools.
State Senator Vincent Gregory, D-Southfield, was one of only three Senators who voted in opposition to the bill.
“With so many of our kids today struggling with obesity, unhealthy eating habits, I feel it is wrong to be overexposing them to bad foods,” said Gregory.
“It is our obligation to make sure that they have healthy foods while they’re in school. We’re saying that you’re in school, but you can have whatever you want to have, even though we know that we have this obesity problem in the state of Michigan.”
The bill’s sponsor says that’s not the point.
“This had nothing to do with obesity,” said state Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton. “This is about federal control versus local control.”
The legislation would allow school groups to hold two bake sales every week.
