GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2015

H                                                                                                                                                    1

HOUSE BILL 545

 

 

Short Title:        Information/Guidelines Re: Eating Disorders.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Representatives McGrady and Glazier (Primary Sponsors). For a complete list of Sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly Web Site.
Referred to:	Education ‑ K‑12, if favorable, Health.

April 6, 2015

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to direct the state board of education and the division of public health to adopt policies and guidelines on eating disorders and to require that parents receive information annually regarding eating disorders.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑12 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(45)    To Adopt Policies for Parent Education on Eating Disorders. – The State Board of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, shall develop policies for providing parent educational information regarding eating disorders. In addition, the State Board and the Division shall develop appropriate guidelines for local boards of education regarding (i) the optional development of an eating disorder screening program; (ii) specification of training needs and requirements for personnel and volunteers; (iii) appropriate opt‑out and exemption procedures for students; and (iv) parental notification procedures for positive indications of an eating disorder."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑47 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(62)    To Ensure That Parents Receive Information Annually on Eating Disorders. – Each local board of education shall ensure that parents of students in grades five through 12 are annually provided parent educational information on eating disorders consistent with the information developed by the State Board of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, in accordance with G.S. 115C‑12(45). A local board of education may also develop an optional screening program to identify students at risk for eating disorders in accordance with G.S. 115C‑12(45)."

SECTION 3.  In developing the policies and guidelines required by G.S. 115C‑12(45), as enacted by this act, the State Board of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, shall solicit input from relevant organizations and entities, including local boards of education, school superintendents, the UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the National Eating Disorders Association, the School Nurse Association of North Carolina, the North Carolina Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians. The State Board and the Division shall also identify and develop appropriate additions or revisions to the North Carolina School Health Program Manual related to the development of parent educational information on eating disorders.

The State Board and the Division shall adopt the policies and guidelines required by G.S. 115C‑12(45) by August 1, 2015.

SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2015‑2016 school year.