WATCH: Hear why RFK Jr. praised the Iowa MAHA bill signing

DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) - Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., was on hand at a ceremony at the Iowa Statehouse Wednesday as Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law a bill inspired by his Make America Healthy Again movement.

“This is exactly why Iowa’s leadership matters,” Kennedy, Junior said. “Real public health reforms require federal action and state leadership working together to improve nutrition, put prevention at the center of healthcare, and give the next generation a prosperous future.”

The bill, House File 2676, known as the “Iowa MAHA” bill, was a priority for Gov. Reynolds this legislative session. It includes changes for school lunches, restrictions on screen time, guidelines for physical activity, and training for medical professionals.

“We know that when Iowa’s physical and mental health is strong, so is our state, which is why these issues have always been a priority,” Reynolds said during the bill signing. “And we remain committed to supporting good health for all Iowans.”

Critics had complained the bill adds limits on purchases through SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) and allows the sale of the horse medicine ivermectin for human use without a prescription.

These are the main provisions of the bill:

• Bans certain food dyes (e.g., Red Dye 40) from school lunches and vending machines.
• Requires the state to permanently request federal waivers so that it can establish its own guidelines for what foods people can purchase through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and federal Summer EBT program.
• Requires Iowa medical students to complete 40 hours of coursework on nutrition.
• Limits elementary students to 60-minutes-per-day of screentime.
• Mandates that students in kindergarten through 4th grade get at least 40 minutes of daily physical activity.
• Requires public schools to once again use the Presidential Fitness Test in physical education courses.
• Allows over-the-counter purchases of Ivermectin, a drug that some people seek for COVID-19 treatment and prevention although the Federal Drug Administration has not approved its use for that.