Bill Text: HI SB609 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Public School Menu Plans; Optional Vegetarian School Lunch Meals
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-12-18 - Carried over to 2014 Regular Session. [SB609 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2014-SB609-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
609 |
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TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to school meals.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that all students should be assured nutritionally-balanced diets to help them become healthy adults who do not suffer from the effects of obesity and malnutrition.
The Hawaii Medical Journal reports that a third of Hawaii's school children are now either overweight or at risk of becoming overweight.
Of children who are overweight, seventy-seven per cent of them remain overweight in adulthood. Weight gain after the adolescent years often results in an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
There are several scientific studies that have found that vegetarians have lower body mass index rates than meat-eaters. In addition, a vegetarian diet has been associated with a substantial reduction in the incidence of diabetes.
The American Dietetic Association's position is that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, may provide health benefits in the prevention of certain diseases, and are appropriate for individuals during all stages of life, including childhood and adolescence.
While some schools do provide vegetarian school lunch options, students who identify themselves as vegetarian or vegan, or come from vegetarian or vegan families, are at a disadvantage if no vegetarian school lunches are offered at their schools. All students should be assured a nutritionally-balanced diet regardless of their food preferences and avoidances.
The purpose of this Act is to require the department of education to work with the department of health to develop nutritionally-sound public school menu plans that give students the option of a vegetarian entrée at least once a week.
SECTION 2. The department of education shall work with the department of health to develop nutritionally-sound public school menu plans that give students the option of a vegetarian entrée as part of a school lunch meal at least once a week.
SECTION 3. The department of education, in cooperation with the department of health, shall submit to the legislature, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2014, a report on the public school menu plans that have been developed and implemented to provide nutritionally-sound public school menu plans that give students the option of a vegetarian entrée at least once a week.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Public School Menu Plans; Optional Vegetarian School Lunch Meals
Description:
Requires the department of education, in collaboration with the department of health, to develop nutritionally-sound public school menu plans that give students the option of a vegetarian entrée as part of a school lunch meal at least once a week. Requires a report to the legislature.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
