BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 952
	By: Watson
	Health & Human Services
	6/14/2019
	Enrolled

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Texas has seen a rise in childhood obesity, which has a long-term health impact on children and ends up costing the state billions annually. To help address this trend, S.B. 952 requires child care facilities, not residential child care operations, to meet the minimum standards under the Child and Adult Care Food Program for nutritious meals and the most recent edition of the American Academy of Pediatrics' standards for activity and screen time. By establishing healthy habits early in life, children will have a greater likelihood of living healthy, productive lives. (Original Author's/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

S.B. 952 amends current law relating to standards for nutrition, physical activity, and screen time for certain child-care facilities and homes.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 2 of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 42.042, Human Resources Code, by adding Subsections (e-3), (e‑4), and (e-5), as follows:

(e-3) Requires the minimum standards for a day-care center or a registered family home adopted under Subsection (e) (relating to the promulgation of and criteria for minimum standards for licensed child-care facilities and registered family names) to be consistent with:

(1) American Academy of Pediatrics standards for physical activity and screen time as published in Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 4th Edition; and

(2) the nutrition standards in the Child and Adult Care Food Program administered by the Department of Agriculture.

(e-4) Provides that a day-care center or registered family home is not required to participate in or comply with the reporting requirements of the Child and Adult Care Food Program administered by the Department of Agriculture.

(e-5) Authorizes the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), if HHSC determines that the economic impact of requiring a day-care center or registered family home to comply with a minimum standard adopted under Subsection (e-3) is sufficiently great to make compliance impractical, to require the day-care center or registered family home to meet the guidelines of the minimum standard through an alternative method.

SECTION 2. Requires the executive commissioner of HHSC, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, to adopt the rules necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2019.