Sen. Roys of Wisconsin Senate authors bill on maple syrup labeling

Kelda Helen Roys, Wisconsin State Senator for 26th District | www.facebook.com

By S. D. Curtis

Apr 15, 2025

The new bill authored by State Sen. Roys seeks to ensure that only pure maple syrup is labeled as such in public eating places, aiming to prevent misrepresentation, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "serving maple syrup in a public eating place".

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill mandates that public eating places in Wisconsin can only serve a product labeled as maple syrup if it is made entirely of maple syrup, as defined by federal regulations in 21 CFR 168.140. The term "public eating place" refers to any establishment that prepares and sells food for consumption by the general public. The bill also clarifies that it does not prohibit the serving of products that are not pure maple syrup, provided they are not misrepresented as such. The effective date of implementation is not specified within the bill text.

The bill was co-authored by Representative Tara Johnson (Democrat-96th District), Senator Dianne H. Hesselbein (Democrat-27th District), Senator Sarah Keyeski (Democrat-14th District), Senator Brad Pfaff (Democrat-32nd District), Senator Mark Spreitzer (Democrat-15th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Clinton M. Anderson (Democrat-45th District), Representative Mike Bare (Democrat-80th District), and Representative Elijah R. Behnke (Republican-6th District), along 16 other co-sponsors.

Kelda Roys has authored or co-authored another 13 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with none of them being enacted.

Roys graduated from New York University in 2000 with a BA and again in 2004 from University of Wisconsin Law School with a JD.

Roys, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2021 to represent the state's 26th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Fred Risser.

In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.

Bills Introduced by Kelda Roys in Wisconsin Senate During 2025 Regular Session