Bill Text: TX HB3451 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to improving nutrition and health outcomes among recipients of benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-09 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB3451 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HB3451-Comm_Sub.html
| 82R24153 EES-F | |||
| By: King of Taylor | H.B. No. 3451 | ||
| Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3451: | |||
| By: Taylor of Collin | C.S.H.B. No. 3451 | ||
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| relating to improving nutrition and health outcomes among | ||
| recipients of benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance | ||
| program. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY. The | ||
| legislature finds that: | ||
| (1) Texans are committed to ensuring the health of | ||
| families and children and understand the importance of the role | ||
| preventive health care measures have on population health and the | ||
| state economy; | ||
| (2) consuming healthy foods such as fruits, | ||
| vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and | ||
| seafood, and consuming fewer foods with sodium, saturated and trans | ||
| fats, added sugars, and refined grains, are important preventive | ||
| health care measures; and | ||
| (3) public benefits programs that provide recipients | ||
| with access to an adequate and nutritional diet should incorporate | ||
| sound nutritional principles and promote the health and well-being | ||
| of recipients. | ||
| SECTION 2. WAIVER OR OTHER AUTHORIZATION TO IMPROVE | ||
| NUTRITION AND HEALTH OUTCOMES UNDER CERTAIN PROGRAMS. (a) The | ||
| executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission | ||
| shall develop and seek a waiver or other appropriate authorization | ||
| from the United States secretary of agriculture under Section 17, | ||
| Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. Section 2026), to make | ||
| changes to the supplemental nutrition assistance program provided | ||
| under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, to improve nutrition and | ||
| health outcomes among recipients of benefits under the program. | ||
| (b) In developing the waiver or other authorization under | ||
| Subsection (a) of this section, the executive commissioner of the | ||
| Health and Human Services Commission may consider the feasibility, | ||
| including the costs and benefits, of: | ||
| (1) restricting the purchase of certain food items | ||
| with minimal nutritional value under the supplemental nutrition | ||
| assistance program; and | ||
| (2) promoting healthy food choices by recipients of | ||
| benefits under the program. | ||
| (c) In developing the waiver or other authorization under | ||
| Subsection (a) of this section, the executive commissioner of the | ||
| Health and Human Services Commission shall solicit input from | ||
| interested persons, including state agencies that administer | ||
| nutritional assistance programs, nonprofit organizations that | ||
| administer hunger relief programs, health care providers, | ||
| nutrition experts, food retailers, and food industry | ||
| representatives. | ||
| (d) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this | ||
| Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services | ||
| Commission shall apply for and actively pursue the waiver or other | ||
| authorization as required by Subsection (a) of this section. | ||
| SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect | ||
| immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members | ||
| elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas | ||
| Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for | ||
| immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2011. | ||
