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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Children's Health and Nutrition Interagency |
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Council. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 116, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 116. CHILDREN'S [EARLY CHILDHOOD] HEALTH AND NUTRITION |
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INTERAGENCY COUNCIL |
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SECTION 2. Section 116.001, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 116.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "council" means |
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the Children's [Early Childhood] Health and Nutrition Interagency |
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Council. |
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SECTION 3. Section 116.002, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 116.002. REVIEW BY SUNSET ADVISORY COMMISSION. The |
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Sunset Advisory Commission shall review the Children's [Early
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Childhood] Health and Nutrition Interagency Council as part of its |
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periodic review of the Department of Agriculture under Chapter 325, |
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Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). |
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SECTION 4. Section 116.003(a), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The Department of Agriculture shall establish the |
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Children's [Early Childhood] Health and Nutrition Interagency |
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Council. The council is composed of eight members as follows: |
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(1) a representative of the Health and Human Services |
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Commission who is involved in the coordination of children's |
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programs, appointed by the executive commissioner of the Health and |
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Human Services Commission; |
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(2) a representative of the Department of State Health |
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Services' health promotion and chronic disease prevention |
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programs, appointed by the commissioner of state health services; |
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(3) a representative of the Department of State Health |
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Services' Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, |
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Infants and Children, appointed by the commissioner of state health |
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services; |
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(4) a representative of the Texas Workforce |
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Commission, appointed by the executive director of the Texas |
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Workforce Commission; |
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(5) a representative of the Department of Agriculture, |
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appointed by the commissioner of agriculture; |
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(6) a representative of the Texas Education Agency's |
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school health programs, appointed by the commissioner of education; |
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(7) a representative of the Health and Human Services |
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Commission's [Department of Family and Protective Services'] Child |
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Care Licensing Division, appointed by the executive commissioner |
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[of the Department of Family and Protective Services]; and |
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(8) a representative of the Texas A&M AgriLife |
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Extension Service, appointed by the director of the Texas A&M |
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AgriLife Extension Service. |
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SECTION 5. Section 116.006(a), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The council shall meet in person three times each year |
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and may hold meetings by conference call as necessary. The council |
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shall invite stakeholders to participate in at least two council |
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meetings each year and provide an opportunity for submission of |
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oral or written testimony. The council at a minimum shall invite: |
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(1) one individual with expertise in children's [early
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childhood] nutrition and physical activity, such as a registered |
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dietician, physical therapist, or physical education specialist; |
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(2) one staff member or manager of a child-care |
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facility; |
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(3) one staff member or manager of a child-care |
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facility operated in a private residence; |
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(4) two individuals with medical experience in |
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children's [early childhood] health, such as a family practice |
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physician, registered nurse, nurse practitioner, pediatrician, or |
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child health consultant; |
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(5) one representative from a nonprofit organization |
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that provides family or wellness services; and |
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(6) one representative from an agency or organization |
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with expertise in community health education and outreach, such as |
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a local health department, public relations or marketing firm, or |
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university. |
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SECTION 6. Section 116.007, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 116.007. COUNCIL POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The council |
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shall review current research to assess: |
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(1) the health of children under the age of 18 [six] in |
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this state compared to the health of similar children in other |
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states; |
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(2) the significance of nutrition and physical |
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activity in the development of children under the age of 18 [six]; |
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and |
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(3) the existence of nutrition and physical activity |
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requirements and practices in child [early childhood] care |
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settings. |
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(b) The council shall review the status of the programs |
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administered by each agency represented on the council that promote |
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healthy nutrition and physical activity for children under the age |
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of 18 and in child [early childhood] care settings. |
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(c) The council shall identify existing state and federal |
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funding sources available for the promotion of health and nutrition |
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for children under the age of 18 and in child [early childhood] care |
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settings. |
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(d) The council shall consult with key stakeholders to |
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identify: |
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(1) barriers to improving nutrition and physical |
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activity standards for children under the age of 18 and in child |
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[early childhood] care settings; and |
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(2) evidence-based best practices for improving |
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children's [early childhood] health through nutrition and physical |
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activity. |
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(e) The Department of Agriculture for the council may |
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contract with a university to study and report on best practices and |
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obstacles for addressing children's [early childhood] health |
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through nutrition and physical activity. |
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SECTION 7. Section 116.009, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 116.009. CHILDREN'S [EARLY CHILDHOOD] NUTRITION AND |
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PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PLAN. (a) The council shall develop a children's |
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[an early childhood] nutrition and physical activity plan with a |
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recommended timeline for implementation over a six-year period. |
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(b) The six-year plan must account for stakeholder |
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recommendations, address the financing, staffing, and training |
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required to implement the plan, and include methods to: |
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(1) increase fruit and vegetable consumption among |
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children under the age of 18 [six]; |
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(2) increase daily structured and unstructured |
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physical activity among children under the age of 18 and in child |
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[early childhood] care settings; |
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(3) increase awareness among parents of the benefits |
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of breast-feeding, healthy eating, and appropriate activity in |
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children under the age of six; |
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(4) facilitate the consumption of breast milk in early |
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childhood care settings; |
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(5) decrease malnutrition and undernourishment among |
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children under the age of 18 [six]; and |
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(6) engage existing community and state resources and |
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service providers to educate and increase the awareness of parents |
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and caretakers regarding the need for proper nutrition. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |