BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1970

By: Gutierrez

Human Services

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Since 2000, Texas has made strides to prevent childhood obesity and related chronic diseases for school-aged children, but current studies suggest that obesity prevention should focus on early childhood nutrition and child care.

C.S.H.B. 1970 develops a uniform statewide nutrition standard for children given meals in a child-care setting. The bill requires the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), which licenses child-care providers, and the Texas Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for nutrition programs in 89 percent of child-care homes and 44 percent of child-care centers, to develop the standard.  The bill requires DFPS to develop minimum training standards to address the role child-care providers have in preventing obesity for preschool-aged children.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1970 amends the Human Resources Code to clarify that minimum standards for licensed child-care facilities and registered family homes required to be promulgated by the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to ensure adequate and healthy food service where food service is offered must ensure that food served in a day-care center, a group day-care home, or a family home meets the federal nutrition guidelines of the child and adult care food program.  The bill requires DFPS to collaborate with the Department of Agriculture in developing minimum standards relating to healthy food service.

C.S.H.B. 1970 requires DFPS to develop and implement minimum training standards for day-care centers, group day-care homes, or family homes that address the role that child-care providers have in preventing obesity and underweight conditions among preschool-aged children, including the promotion of proper nutrition and appropriate physical activity.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 1970 differs from the original by specifying that the minimum food standards and minimum training standards apply to a day-care center, group day-care home, or family home.