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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a grant program to provide children at risk of hunger or |
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obesity with increased access to nutritious foods. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Title 2, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding |
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Chapter 25 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 25. CHILDREN'S ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD PROGRAM |
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Sec. 25.001. CREATION. Using funds appropriated for that |
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purpose, the department by rule shall develop and implement a |
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children's access to nutritious food program to award grants to |
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nonprofit organizations for the purpose of allowing food banks to |
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provide children at risk of hunger or obesity with access to |
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nutritious food outside the school day. |
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Sec. 25.002. ELIGIBILITY. A nonprofit organization is |
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eligible to receive a grant under this chapter if the organization: |
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(1) has at least five years of experience coordinating |
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a statewide network of food banks and charitable organizations that |
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serves each county of this state; |
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(2) operates a program through a statewide network of |
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food banks that provides children at risk of hunger or obesity with |
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access to nutritious food outside the school day; and |
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(3) submits to the department, in the manner and time |
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prescribed by the department, a detailed proposal for a program to |
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purchase and distribute food using grant money to food banks or |
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other charitable organizations that includes: |
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(A) a schedule of projected costs for the |
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program; |
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(B) measurable goals for the program; and |
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(C) a plan for evaluating the success of the |
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program. |
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Sec. 25.003. USE OF FUNDS. A recipient of a grant under |
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this chapter may use the grant only for the purchase of the |
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following nutritious foods: |
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(1) fresh, frozen, or canned meats that are lean or low |
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in fat content; |
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(2) dry or canned beans; |
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(3) nonfat or vegetarian items; |
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(4) low-fat nut and seed butters; |
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(5) dry-roasted or raw nuts and seeds; |
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(6) eggs; |
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(7) olive oil; |
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(8) canola oil; |
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(9) fresh, frozen, or canned fruits with no added |
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sugar; |
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(10) fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables; |
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(11) juices that contain 100 percent fruit juice; |
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(12) foods that contain 100 percent whole grains; |
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(13) fresh, dry, canned, or ultra-high-temperature |
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pasteurized milk that has a fat content of no greater than one |
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percent; |
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(14) light yogurt; and |
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(15) low-fat cheese. |
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Sec. 25.004. REPORT. A nonprofit organization that |
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receives a grant under this chapter must at regular intervals |
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prescribed by the department report the results of the |
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organization's program to the department. A report under this |
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section for a prescribed reporting period must include: |
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(1) a statement of the amount of food purchased and |
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distributed using grant funds; |
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(2) a statement of the leveraged value of grant funds; |
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(3) a list of specific programs that benefited from |
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grant funds; and |
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(4) a detailed accounting of how grant funds were |
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spent. |
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Sec. 25.005. RULES. The commissioner may adopt rules as |
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necessary to implement this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as possible after the effective date of |
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this Act, the Department of Agriculture shall implement the |
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children's access to nutritious food program under Chapter 25, |
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Agriculture Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |