Bill Text: TX SB1374 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to requiring that certain strategic plans of certain state agencies include the goals of reducing the incidence of food insecurity, poor nutrition, and diet-related disease in this state.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-18 - Referred to Health & Human Services [SB1374 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SB1374-Introduced.html
84R1203 JSL-D | ||
By: Lucio | S.B. No. 1374 |
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relating to requiring that certain strategic plans of certain state | ||
agencies include the goals of reducing the incidence of food | ||
insecurity, poor nutrition, and diet-related disease in this state. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 12, Agriculture Code, is amended by | ||
adding Section 12.00251 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 12.00251. GOALS OF ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY, POOR | ||
NUTRITION, AND DIET-RELATED DISEASE; INCLUSION IN STRATEGIC PLAN. | ||
(a) The department shall include in the department's strategic | ||
plan required under Chapter 2056, Government Code, the goals of | ||
reducing the incidence of food insecurity, poor nutrition, and | ||
diet-related disease in this state by: | ||
(1) increasing access to nutritious foods by persons | ||
in this state; | ||
(2) maximizing federal funds received under child | ||
nutrition programs, including the national free or reduced-price | ||
lunch program established under 42 U.S.C. Section 1751 et seq., by | ||
increasing: | ||
(A) the efficiency of the programs; and | ||
(B) access to the programs by persons eligible | ||
for the programs; | ||
(3) strengthening the department's education | ||
initiatives to increase awareness of food and nutrition programs | ||
available in this state; and | ||
(4) facilitating obesity prevention and diabetes | ||
awareness initiatives. | ||
(b) The goals required under Subsection (a) must include | ||
specific targets for increasing participation in nutrition | ||
programs administered by the department. | ||
(c) The department shall seek input from food insecurity | ||
experts, service providers, and other stakeholders in developing | ||
the goals required under Subsection (a). | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 7, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 7.041 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 7.041. GOALS OF ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY, POOR | ||
NUTRITION, AND DIET-RELATED DISEASE; INCLUSION IN STRATEGIC PLAN. | ||
(a) The agency shall include in the agency's strategic plan | ||
required under Chapter 2056, Government Code, the goals of reducing | ||
the incidence of food insecurity, poor nutrition, and diet-related | ||
disease in this state by: | ||
(1) increasing access to nutritious foods by persons | ||
served by the agency; | ||
(2) maximizing federal funds received under child | ||
nutrition programs, including the national free or reduced-price | ||
lunch program established under 42 U.S.C. Section 1751 et seq., by | ||
increasing: | ||
(A) the efficiency of the programs; and | ||
(B) access to the programs by eligible persons | ||
served by the agency; | ||
(3) strengthening the agency's education initiatives | ||
to increase awareness of food and nutrition programs available in | ||
this state; and | ||
(4) facilitating obesity prevention and diabetes | ||
awareness initiatives. | ||
(b) The goals required under Subsection (a) must include | ||
specific targets for increasing participation in nutrition | ||
programs administered by the agency. | ||
(c) The agency shall seek input from food insecurity | ||
experts, service providers, and other stakeholders in developing | ||
the goals required under Subsection (a). | ||
SECTION 3. Section 531.022, Government Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsections (f), (g), and (h) to read as follows: | ||
(f) In addition to the goals specified by Subsection (c), | ||
the plan must include as goals of the commission, the Department of | ||
Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, the Department of Aging and | ||
Disability Services, and the Department of State Health Services | ||
reducing the incidence of food insecurity, poor nutrition, and | ||
diet-related disease in this state by: | ||
(1) increasing access to nutritious foods by persons | ||
served by the agencies; | ||
(2) maximizing federal funds received under the | ||
special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and | ||
children and the supplemental nutrition assistance program by | ||
increasing the efficiency of the programs; | ||
(3) strengthening each agency's education initiatives | ||
to increase awareness of food and nutrition programs available in | ||
this state; and | ||
(4) facilitating obesity prevention and diabetes | ||
awareness initiatives. | ||
(g) The goals required under Subsection (f) must include | ||
specific targets for increasing participation in nutrition | ||
programs administered by the commission and other agencies | ||
described by that subsection. | ||
(h) The executive commissioner shall seek input from food | ||
insecurity experts, service providers, and other stakeholders in | ||
developing the goals required under Subsection (f). | ||
SECTION 4. In the first strategic plan under Chapter 2056, | ||
Government Code, issued after the effective date of this Act: | ||
(1) the Department of Agriculture shall, using | ||
existing funds, include in the plan the goals and methods of | ||
implementing the goals required by Section 12.00251(a), | ||
Agriculture Code, as added by this Act; and | ||
(2) the Texas Education Agency shall, using existing | ||
funds, include in the plan the goals and methods of implementing the | ||
goals required by Section 7.041(a), Education Code, as added by | ||
this Act. | ||
SECTION 5. The executive commissioner of the Health and | ||
Human Services Commission shall, using existing funds, include the | ||
goals and methods of implementing those goals specified by Section | ||
531.022(f), Government Code, as added by this Act, in the first | ||
biennial update of the coordinated strategic plan for health and | ||
human services required by Section 531.022, Government Code, as | ||
amended by this Act, that is required after the effective date of | ||
this Act. | ||
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |