Illinois State Senator Mattie Hunter and State Rep. Robyn Gabel reintroduced the Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Act to the Illinois General Assembly last week. The act would create a 1-cent-per ounce excise tax on distributors of bottles of energy drinks, soda and other sugary beverages. The HEAL act would tax beverages with more than 5 grams of sugar per 12 ounces, including ready-to-drink coffees and teas.
The bill is expected to generate more than $600 million a year for investment in communities across the state through a small tax on sugary drink distributors and is supported by the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity.
Hunter and Gabel first introduced the bill in February 2014.