By: Raymond, Guillen, King of Zavala, H.B. No. 3618
      Pickett, Escobar, et al.
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to certain health programs and grants and other related
  funds for school districts located in the border region.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 38.013, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
         (d)  The commissioner in consultation with the Department of
  State Health Services shall adopt criteria to require that at least
  one program available under Subsection (a) be designed to prevent
  and detect obesity and Type 2 diabetes by taking into account the
  needs of a school district described by Section 38.0131 that has a
  student population identified by the commissioner as at risk for
  obesity and Type 2 diabetes.  A program designated under this
  subsection must provide that:
               (1)  each school district must distribute to each
  school in the district:
                     (A)  health curriculum teacher's guides for each
  grade level;
                     (B)  health curriculum student workbooks for each
  student in each grade level;
                     (C)  a physical education activity pad;
                     (D)  a cafeteria program instructor's guide and
  food service staff workbooks; and
                     (E)  a newsletter for the family of each student
  in the district;
               (2)  for each student in kindergarten through grade
  eight, each school in the school district must:
                     (A)  measure the height and weight of the student
  at the beginning of the school year and at another appropriate time
  during the implementation of the program; and
                     (B)  track the measurements of the student and the
  progress of the student under the program through a data entry
  system provided over the Internet; and
               (3)  the coordinated health program components must
  consist of bilingual materials.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 38.0131 to read as follows:
         Sec. 38.0131.  REQUIRED COORDINATED HEALTH PROGRAM FOR
  CERTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICTS. (a)  This section applies only to a
  school district located in a municipality that:
               (1)  has a population greater than 11,900;  and
               (2)  is located within one-half mile of an
  international border.
         (b)  A school district to which this section applies shall
  implement a coordinated health program that meets the criteria of
  Section 38.013(d).
         (c)  In the first year a school district implements a program
  under this section, the district shall report the measurements of
  student height and weight and the progress of a student under the
  program to the entity that administers the program. The
  administering entity shall evaluate and analyze the measurements to
  determine the effectiveness of the program in the first year.
         (d)  The Department of State Health Services shall, from
  money appropriated for that purpose, distribute money to each
  school district required to implement a coordinated health program
  under this section to cover the costs associated with the program.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter B, Chapter 38, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 38.0631 to read as follows:
         Sec. 38.0631.  GRANT-WRITING COORDINATION PROGRAM. (a) The
  Department of State Health Services shall employ one person as a
  grant writer to assist and coordinate with school districts located
  in the Texas-Mexico border region in obtaining grants and other
  funds for school-based health centers.
         (b)  A grant writer employed under this section may secure a
  grant or other funds on behalf of the state for a school-based
  health center.
         (c)  Funds obtained by the use of a grant writer employed
  under this section may be used only to:
               (1)  acquire, construct, or improve facilities for a
  school-based health center;
               (2)  purchase or lease equipment or materials for a
  school-based health center; or
               (3)  pay the salary or employment benefits of a person
  who is employed to work exclusively in a school-based health
  center.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2007.