On Thursday, the Wisconsin Assembly approved a new bill that will ban schools from providing certain foods in free or reduced-price meals. This move is linked to a broader health initiative led by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who is advocating for healthier food options for children.
The bill targets specific ingredients: brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, azodicarbonamide, propylparaben, and red dye 3. These ingredients are currently under review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Trump administration, where Kennedy played a key role, highlighted processed foods as a major contributor to childhood illnesses. In response, many states have begun to introduce similar legislation to address food safety in schools.
However, not everyone agreed with the bill’s necessity. Rep. Ann Roe, a Democrat from Janesville, argued that these ingredients are already regulated at the federal level. Instead, she and other Democrats proposed alternative amendments aimed at improving student health by investing in infrastructure leaks and advocating for universal free lunches.
Interestingly, no Republicans spoke during the discussion on this bill, which passed with a vote of 53-43.
In another significant move, lawmakers also approved a bill establishing English as the official language of Wisconsin. This legislation would eliminate state-funded interpretation services, relying instead on AI and computer translation tools. Rep. David Murphy, who authored the bill, stated that promoting the English language can foster societal unity and save costs in the court system.
Despite these intentions, opponents voiced concerns about the limitations of current translation technologies. Rep. Priscilla Prado expressed that while AI might assist in casual communication, it falls short in critical situations like legal or medical contexts. She emphasized that miscommunication could have serious consequences, stressing the importance of human translators in these scenarios.
An analysis from the Wisconsin Department of Administration described the long-term financial impact of replacing human translators with software as “indeterminate.” While some costs might decrease, new administrative challenges could arise.
This initiative mirrors a national trend. Just last year, Trump signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the U.S. The Wisconsin bill passed with a tight vote of 51-45, with one Republican—Rep. Jessie Rodriguez—voting against it.
As these bills advance, they reflect ongoing national conversations about food safety and language policy. The focus remains on ensuring the health and well-being of children while navigating the complexities of community and communication.
For more details, you can refer to the original articles from sources like Wisconsin Public Radio.
