California Senate Bill 622: Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax

Community Health Councils Inc., along with other members of the Los Angeles County Healthy Community Collaborative, conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) of California Senate Bill 622 (S.B. 622), which would impose a penny-per-ounce tax on distributors of sugar-sweetened beverages manufactured in the state. All revenue (taxes, penalties, and interest) collected under S.B. 622 would be deposited in a Children's Health Promotion Fund, created by the legislation to support statewide childhood obesity-prevention activities and programs.

The HIA focused on the potential impacts of S.B. 622 on low-income residents and communities of color in Los Angeles County and found that even with the tax, sugar-sweetened beverages probably still would be less expensive than healthier alternatives, such as fruit juice and water. The HIA recommended that the bill include incentives for distributors and retailers to increase access to healthier beverage options as well as culturally relevant interventions and education campaigns featuring clear labeling of sugar-sweetened beverages.