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Senate Bill 395 |
Senate Author: Lucio |
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Effective: 9-1-09 |
House Sponsor: Lucio III |
Senate Bill 395 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) to establish the Early Childhood Health and Nutrition Interagency Council containing specified representatives from the TDA, Health and Human Services Commission, Department of State Health Services, Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Education Agency, Department of Family and Protective Services, and Texas AgriLife Extension Service. The bill requires the council to review current research to assess the health of children under the age of six, the significance of nutrition and physical activity among children in that target age range, and the existence of nutrition and physical activity requirements and practices in early childhood care settings. It requires the council to review the status of related programs administered by member agencies and the availability of existing state and federal funding sources for the promotion of health and nutrition in those settings. The council must develop an early childhood nutrition and physical activity plan that includes methods to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and decrease malnutrition and undernourishment among children under age six, increase daily physical activity in early childhood care settings, facilitate the consumption of breast milk in such settings, increase parental awareness of the benefits of breast feeding as well as healthy childhood eating and activity, and engage community and state resources and service providers to educate and increase parental and caretaker awareness regarding the need for proper nutrition. The council must submit the plan to the legislature and governor not later than November 1, 2010. The bill also requires reports by the council to the legislature and governor, the first of which is due not later than November 1, 2012.