S.B. 1357 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


S.B. 1357
By: Nelson
Public Health
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 
S.B. 1357 establishes local school health advisory councils to coordinate
health curriculum components in a coordinated school health program for
the district.  S.B. 1357 also requires school districts to make available
information regarding weekly physical activity for elementary school
students, the frequency with which each  district's school health advisory
committee has met, campus compliance with the Texas Education Agency (TEA)
policy regarding vending machines and food services guidelines, and
whether districts have adopted and enforced anti-tobacco policies. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly
granted to the Commissioner of Education in SECTION 3 (38.013, Education
Code) of this bill.   

ANALYSIS
S.B. 1357 Requires the board of trustees of each school district to
establish a local school health advisory council, rather than local school
health education advisory council, to assist the district in ensuring that
local community values are reflected in the district's health education
instruction.  The bill provides that the local health advisor council's
duties include  making certain recommendation. S.B. 1357 requires a school
district to make certain information available for reasonable public
inspection. 

Requires the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to make available to each school
district one or more coordinated health programs designed to prevent
obesity, cardiovascular disease, and Type 2 diabetes in elementary school
students.  Requires each program to provide for coordinating health
education; physical education and physical activity; nutrition services;
and parental involvement.  The commissioner of education is required to
adopt criteria for evaluating a coordinated health program before making
the program available.  Requires the commissioner, before adopting
criteria, to request review and comment concerning the criteria from the
Texas Department of Health's School Health Advisory Committee.  Authorizes
the commissioner to make available only those programs that meet criteria
adopted under this subsection.  Requires TEA to notify each school
district of the availability of the programs.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003