An effort to ban soda and other sugary drinks from children's menus in New Hampshire has fizzled.
The House on Tuesday voted 292-39 against a bill that would have applied to restaurants that serve children's meals that bundle together food and a beverage for one price. Drinks served with such meals would have been limited to healthier choices such as milk, water or juice.
Democratic Rep. Timothy Horrigan, of Durham, said the goal was to protect children from excessive sugar and artificial sweeteners and encourage healthier eating habits. Opponents argued the focus should be on education, not mandates, and that parents should make the choice for their children, not government.
Some individual cities and a county in California have passed similar ordinances, and similar legislation is pending in several states.