BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 283
81R1371 CAS-F By: Nelson, Lucio
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, 42 percent of fourth graders in Texas are either obese, overweight, or at risk of becoming overweight, and 70 percent of overweight children will become overweight adults. School health advisory councils (SHACs) are district-level councils composed of parents, teachers, students, health professionals, and community leaders who are responsible for creating strategies to integrate health curriculum into a coordinated school health program that reflects local values. Although SHACs are currently required to create strategies to integrate health curriculum into coordinated school health programs, there are no criteria for organizational structure or mechanisms for accountability. A more structured set of guidelines will make SHACs more effective in developing and implementing coordinated school health plans.
As proposed, S.B. 283 requires that one member of a SHAC be appointed to serve as chair or co-chair; requires that a SHAC hold at least four meetings per year; and requires that a SHAC make at least one formal report each year to the board of trustees of the school district.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 28.004, Education Code, by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsections (d-1), (m), (m-1), and (m-2), as follows:
(d) Requires the board of trustees of each school district (board) to appoint one of the members appointed to the local health advisory council (council) as chair or co-chair and authorizes the board of trustees to appoint both a chair and co-chair from among those members.
(d-1) Requires the council to meet at least four times each year.
(m) Requires the council, in addition to performing other duties, to submit to the board, at least annually, a written report that includes certain information regarding the council's recommendations, modifications, and activities.
(m-1) Requires the council, in lieu of the report that otherwise would be required under Subsection (m), not later than April 1, 2010, to submit to the board an initial written report that includes any information required under Subsections (m)(1) (regarding any council recommendation concerning the school district's health education curriculum and instruction or related matters that the council has not previously submitted to the board of trustees) and (2) (regarding any suggested modification to a council recommendation previously submitted to the board of trustees), and a detailed explanation of the council's activities during the 12-month period preceding the date of the report.
(m-2) Provides that Subsection (m-1) and this subsection expire April 30, 2010.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2009.