By Capelo                                             H.B. No. 2647
         77R7362 CAS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a pilot program of nutrition, preventative health care,
 1-3     and physical activity for certain public school students.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Chapter 38, Education Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Section 38.013 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 38.013.  "FOOD FOR THOUGHT" PILOT PROGRAM. (a)  The
 1-8     agency, in consultation with child development experts at Texas A&M
 1-9     University--Corpus Christi, the Texas Department of Health, and at
1-10     least one expert in the field of child nutrition, health, or
1-11     physical education selected by the commissioner, shall implement
1-12     and administer the "Food for Thought" pilot program, an
1-13     interdisciplinary nutrition, preventative health care, and physical
1-14     activity program designed to build lifelong healthy habits in
1-15     children in grades four, five, and six.
1-16           (b)  The program must emphasize the importance of:
1-17                 (1)  decreasing the consumption of food that is high in
1-18     fat and increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables; and
1-19                 (2)  decreasing the time spent in watching television
1-20     or other sedentary activities and increasing the time spent in
1-21     physical activity.
1-22           (c)  The program shall be conducted for students in grades
1-23     four, five, and six in schools selected by experts in child
1-24     development at Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi.  In selecting
 2-1     schools to participate in the program, the experts from the
 2-2     university shall select schools that:
 2-3                 (1)  have a high percentage of obese students in the
 2-4     grade levels for which the program is designed; and
 2-5                 (2)  are located near the university so that university
 2-6     students can assist in the program.
 2-7           (d)  The program may include:
 2-8                 (1)  classroom lessons, including lessons integrated
 2-9     into the regular curriculum;
2-10                 (2)  written materials;
2-11                 (3)  promotional campaigns on nutrition and physical
2-12     activity;
2-13                 (4)  efforts to involve the parents of student
2-14     participants; and
2-15                 (5)  reinforcement activities in the school cafeteria,
2-16     during physical education classes, and outside of school.
2-17           (e)  A school in which the program operates may not be
2-18     required to employ additional personnel for purposes of the
2-19     program.
2-20           (f)  This section expires July 31, 2005.
2-21           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-22     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-23     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-24     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-25     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.