In an effort to control expanding waistlines of schoolchildren, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted 8-2 to approve legislation requiring healthier school lunch fare.

The measure, SB 1566 by Sen. Martha Escutia, D-Whittier, would apply the nutritional standards contained in a 2001 Escutia bill that dealt with food sold outside lunch programs. The standards have not taken effect because they were tied to a boost in the state subsidy for reduced-price lunches that has not occurred.

Saying schools need the additional money, school food-service officials are fighting Escutia's current effort.