Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act
Congress Proposes New Warning Labels and Caffeine Limits for Energy Drinks and Restaurant Menus
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill would require large restaurant chains with 20 or more locations to put a 'High Caffeine' warning on any menu item that has added caffeine and at least 150 milligrams of total caffeine.
- For packaged foods and supplements with more than 10 milligrams of caffeine, the label would have to show exactly how much caffeine is inside and whether it is natural or an additive.
- Labels would also need to include a reminder that healthy adults should generally limit themselves to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, which is the current recommended limit.
- Health agencies would be required to study how caffeine affects vulnerable groups, including children, pregnant women, and people with heart conditions, to see if safety rules need to be updated.
- The government would start a public education campaign to teach people about the risks of too much caffeine and investigate how these drinks are marketed to teenagers on social media.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Life & Work
Restaurant chains with 20 or more locations would need to update their menus, menu boards, and drive-through displays to include 'High Caffeine' warnings and milligram counts for qualifying items. This means new printing costs, staff training, and ongoing compliance work. Packaged food and supplement companies would also need to redesign labels to show caffeine amounts, whether caffeine is natural or added, and include the daily limit advisory — all of which adds cost for smaller producers in those industries.
Disabilities
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
4 articles
Panera lemonade-linked deaths spark proposed caffeine safety law
Rep. Robert Menendez reintroduced the Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act, which would require restaurant chains with 20 or more locations to disclose on menus whether a drink contains 150mg or more of caffeine. The bill follows litigation over Panera's 'Charged Lemonade.'
Panera Charged Lemonade Death Prompts NJ Congressman To Propose New Law
Rep. Rob Menendez reintroduced the Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act in Jersey City. The legislation would compel establishments to state on menus if a product includes 150mg of caffeine or more and requires energy drink manufacturers to explicitly state caffeine amounts on labels.
IHOP menu, first-party ordering, caffeine safety
A caffeine safety law has been introduced to Congress. The Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act, named after a student who died after consuming Panera Charged Lemonade, would require restaurant chains to clearly disclose when a food or drink item contains more than 150 mg of caffeine.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
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