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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to allowable food purchases under the supplemental |
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nutrition assistance program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY. The |
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legislature finds that: |
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(1) Texans are committed to ensuring the health of |
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families and children and understand the important role of |
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preventive health care measures in improving population health and |
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the state economy; |
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(2) consuming healthy foods such as fruits, |
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vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and |
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seafood, and consuming fewer foods with sodium, saturated and trans |
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fats, added sugars, and refined grains, are important preventive |
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health care measures; and |
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(3) tax dollars intended to support a family's access |
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to an adequate and nutritional diet should not be diverted to |
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subsidize the purchase of items of minimal nutritional value. |
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SECTION 2. WAIVER OR OTHER AUTHORIZATION TO ALIGN ALLOWABLE |
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FOOD ITEMS UNDER CERTAIN PROGRAMS. (a) The executive commissioner |
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of the Health and Human Services Commission shall develop and seek a |
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waiver or other appropriate authorization from the United States |
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secretary of agriculture under Section 17, Food and Nutrition Act |
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of 2008 (7 U.S.C. Section 2026), to restrict the purchase of food |
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items with minimal nutritional value under the supplemental |
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nutrition assistance program provided under Chapter 33, Human |
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Resources Code, by: |
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(1) amending the list of allowable food items under |
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the program to better align that list with nutrition standards |
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under the national free or reduced-price lunch program established |
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under 42 U.S.C. Section 1751 et seq.; and |
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(2) restricting the purchase of food items considered |
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to have minimal nutritional value under the national free or |
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reduced-price lunch program, including items in the categories of |
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foods listed in 7 C.F.R. Part 210, Appendix B. |
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(b) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this |
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Act, the Health and Human Services Commission shall apply for and |
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actively pursue the waiver or other authorization as required by |
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Subsection (a) of this section. |
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SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |