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Legislation Takes Aim At Food Trucks Operating Near Schools

SACRAMENTO (KCBS) -- An bill was introduced in the assembly this week aimed at keeping kids away from food trucks that serve junk food.

Assemblyman Bill Monning (D-Carmel) authored the legislation that would prohibit the operation of the trucks within 1,500 feet of elementary and secondary schools between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

In many communities throughout California when the lunch bell rings, instead of heading for the cafeteria, students head outside for the food trucks.

"I see the trucks as drawing kids out of the schools and loading up on high sugar sweetened beverages, high sodium foods," Monning said.

KCBS' Rebecca Corral Reports:

Monning said many of the state's school districts have done a good job taking a lot of sugar, sodium and fat out of cafeteria lunches, but that the trucks show up with alluring contraband like chips and soda.

"It's undermining the efforts of trying to reverse what we consider to be really epidemic levels of childhood obesity, leading to preventable diabetes," Monning added.

Some food truck vendors have said they're being unfairly targeted, with threats to ban them, yet convenience stores are allowed to continue selling nachos, hot dogs, and red bulls right across from schools in some cases.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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