July 6, 2007 — The Senate Rules and Judiciary Committee moved a bill to regulate public-school vending machines out for consideration by the full body, and sent a bill authorizing the National Guard to establish a school for at-risk youth back to the Education Committee to be rewritten.
The first bill would restrict the amount of sugary sodas and snacks sold in public schools. Such snacks would be banned in public elementary schools and restricted in high schools. (See “‘Renegade Operator' Mismanaging Schools' St. Croix Food Warehouse, Senator Charges.”)
“We know what one eats impacts health,” said bill sponsor Sen. Norman Jn Baptiste. “We know obesity is on the rise among the young in the territory, and I believe sugary drinks and snacks — Coke, Sprite, etc. — have an impact on that. We’ve restricted tobacco on the theory that restricting access will reduce use. If you make it less available, consumption may be reduced.”
Some senators, while supportive of the bill, wanted to go further.
“I think the vending machines should be just limited to water,” Sen. Carmen Wesselhoft said. “Who will take the time to read the labels of all those bottles to see what percentage of sugar these juice drinks contain? Often you see sugar and corn syrup right near the top in commercially produced juices. … And cooks in the schools should be held responsible to serve our kids nutritious food.”
Sen. Ronald Russell spoke in support of a bill to establish the National Guard Youth Challenge Bill. (See “Retired National Guardsmen Would Run Proposed Alternative School.”)
“This noble bill is to put in place a National Guard program for behaviorally challenged children, to address kids at risk and to help schools in the territory who have to take care of children who don’t really belong there,” Russell said.
Several senators praised the goal of the bill, but said it needed to go back to the Education Committee to be rewritten.
“I’m appalled this bill was sent unmodified from the originating committee,” Sen. Usie Richards said. “In the bill itself, the reviewer’s note even says, ‘This legislative measure may not be sufficient to carry out the legislative intent. The policy underlying the measure had not been sufficiently developed, in that the program established in the bill conforms to the national program and will receive federal funding, then the bill would require amendment.’ We cannot just write anything and hope it does what we want.”
Sen. Liston Davis expressed similar concerns.
“At a session I attended in Philadelphia, this was highlighted as one of the more successful programs,” Davis said. “But during consideration, a few concerns were raised: Can you substitute ‘involuntary’ vs. ‘voluntary’? … Also whether the text of the bill was sufficient to carry out the intent of the bill, I believe was a concern.”
Sens. Richards and Celestino White both spoke of shifting $1.9 million previously appropriated as matching funds to acquire federal funding. Russell strenuously objected to this move, bringing the matter up during an evening hearing of the Committee of the Whole considering allocations of community development block grant funds to after-school programs.
“They are ready to go as soon as the bill is passed,” Russell said. “They could have the school ready this fall. But if you reprogram the money and start the whole process again, who knows how long it will be?”
White counseled a focus on existing programs.
“What kind of sense is it to appropriate money and then try to legislate the program to fit the appropriation?” he said during the evening hearing. “Before us right now are programs that are up and running and could desperately use the money right away.”
In other action, the Rules and Judiciary Committee moved Gov. John deJongh Jr.’s nomination of Glen Drake out of committee with an unfavorable recommendation. Drake has not submitted any of the required questionnaires nor responded to phone calls or letters, White said.
“He clearly has no interest in the position, and will not serve if he is confirmed,” said Committee Chairman Carlton Dowe.
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