BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 202
Education
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Lactation consultants and public health workers have found that many children, even those in high school, do not know that humans make milk. Many national and state health organizations support goals to increase breastfeeding rates (e.g., American Academy of Pediatrics, Surgeon General, Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Texas Medical Association, and the Texas Pediatric Society). However, breastfeeding rates will not increase if people are not aware of the existence and function of the human lactation system.
As proposed, S.B. 202 would require some level of lactation education in elementary and secondary schools. Authority over what information must be included to meet that level would be given to the State Board of Education upon consultation with DSHS. The intent behind S.B. 202 is simply to increase awareness of the human lactation system and the health benefits of breastfeeding by ensuring that students learn the fundamental concepts that lactation is a key component of being a mammal, that humans are mammals, and that breastfeeding benefits mothers and babies.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 28.002, Education Code, by adding Subsection (o), to require the State Board of Education (board), in consultation with the Texas Department of State Health Services, to develop lactation education programs that a school district shall use in elementary and secondary schools as part of the science curriculum under Subsection (a)(1)(C) (Science) or the health curriculum under Subsection (a)(2)(B) (Health).
SECTION 2. (a) Requires that the board, no later than May 1, 2006, to develop lactation education programs.
(b) Requires a school district to use the lactation education programs developed by the board beginning with the 2006-2007 school year.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.