BILL ANALYSIS |
C.S.H.B. 3401 |
By: Raymond |
Human Services |
Committee Report (Substituted) |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Industry experts have reported that the increase in obesity, diabetes, and heart disease can be linked to unhealthy food choices. Many recipients of benefits through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, the Medicaid program, and the supplemental nutrition assistance program use the Health and Human Services Commission's online portal to view their benefits, and interested parties assert that the portal could be used to encourage recipients to make choices to eat healthy and be physically active. C.S.H.B. 3401 seeks to increase access to nutrition and wellness education for such recipients.
|
||||||||
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill.
|
||||||||
ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 3401 amends the Government Code, to add temporary provisions set to expire September 1, 2015, to require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to work with community-based organizations to encourage individuals receiving benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, the Medicaid program, and the supplemental nutrition assistance program to access readily available and existing online information and programs, including information provided on HHSC's website, that provide nutrition and wellness education for the purpose of promoting healthy eating habits and a physically active lifestyle.
C.S.H.B. 3401 requires HHSC, not later than January 1, 2015, to report to the legislature on the use of nutrition and wellness education information provided on HHSC's website and requires the report to include feedback from clients on the effectiveness of the information accessed and any available data on the number of individuals who accessed the information.
C.S.H.B. 3401 authorizes the executive commissioner of HHSC to adopt rules to implement the bill's provisions.
|
||||||||
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2013.
|
||||||||
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE
While C.S.H.B. 3401 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and highlighted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|