Sacramento - On the last day for the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation to hear and report legislation introduced in 2011 for referral to fiscal committees, the Committee continued to hold Assembly Bill (AB) 669 by Assemblymember Bill Monning (D-Carmel), which makes the legislation ineligible to be considered during this year’s legislative session.
“I am disappointed AB 669 could not move forward, but remain committed to educating the public about the health dangers of sugary drinks – the biggest contributor to current obesity trends,” stated Assemblymember Monning. “Placing a tax on sweetened beverages will provide the necessary funding for a broader public health campaign that counters the massive advertising budgets used to market sugary drinks and other unhealthful options directly to our children.”
AB 669 would levy an excise tax of one penny per fluid ounce on sugary drinks, such as sodas, energy drinks, sweet teas, and sports drinks, distributed in California. The revenues generated would be directed to the newly created Children’s Health Promotion Fund and allocated to statewide childhood obesity prevention activities and programs.
“Childhood obesity continues to be an epidemic in California. Soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages, including sports drinks, are enemy number one. The death of AB 669 is a lost opportunity but is certainly not the end. California needs to get serious about addressing soda’s harmful effects or face the consequences of a generation that will be overwhelmed by obesity-related preventable disease,” said Dr. Harold Goldstein of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, the bill’s sponsor.
Although AB 669 did not proceed this legislative year, support is growing among those who see a tax on sweetened beverages as a means to prevent the rising costs of obesity and build a healthier California.
Assemblymember Monning was first elected to represent the 27th Assembly District in 2008 and re-elected in 2010. The 27th Assembly District includes portions of Monterey, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties. Prior to his election to the Assembly, Assemblymember Monning was a Professor at the Monterey College of Law and a Professor of International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution at the Monterey Institute of International Studies.
Contact: Ryan Guillen (916) 319-2027
