BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 3429 81R20154 JRJ-D By: Gutierrez (Van de Putte) Agriculture & Rural Affairs 5/6/2009 Engrossed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT Since 2000, Texas has worked to prevent childhood obesity and the chronic diseases related to obesity. Most of these efforts have focused on the school-aged child, however, more studies are addressing the benefits of beginning such efforts in early childhood. Texas has been addressing the nutrition education of small populations for many years. The Texas AgriLife Extension Service (AgriLife) has been helping economically disadvantaged parents of young children learn practical lessons in basic nutrition via the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program since 1969. In 1995, AgriLife expanded its nutrition education program with the Better Living for Texans program, which serves food stamp recipients, applicants, and other approved audiences. H.B. 3429 ensures that as Texas progresses toward addressing childhood obesity issues among pre-school aged children, the experience and expertise of AgriLife is utilized by the larger agencies responsible for the administration of various related education and nutrition programs. H.B. 3429 adds Subchapter K (Texas AgriLife Extension Service) to Chapter 88 (Agencies and Services of the Texas A&M University System), Education Code, and requires the Texas AgriLife Extension Service to perform certain duties related to program reports. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 88, Education Code, by adding Subchapter K, as follows: SUBCHAPTER K. TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE Sec. 88.821. DEFINITION. Defines "extension service." Sec. 88.822. PROGRAM REPORTS. (a) Requires the Texas AgriLife Extension Service (extension service) to make a presentation to the commissioner of education, the commissioner of agriculture, and the commissioner of the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and to provide copies of reports to the Texas Education Agency, the Department of Agriculture, and DSHS, and any council in which representatives from all three of those agencies are members, on the following programs: (1) the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), which provides nutrition education for economically disadvantaged parents of young children; (2) the Better Living for Texans (BLT) program, a component of the national Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides education programs to food stamp recipients, applicants, and other approved audiences to help improve their ability to plan and prepare nutritious meals, stretch food dollars, and prepare and store food safely; and (3) other similar programs as determined by the extension service. (b) Requires the extension service to provide a copy of each report described by Subsection (a) to the legislature not later than December 15 of each even-numbered year. (c) Provides that this section does not affect any other requirement for the extension service to make a report to any state or federal agency. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 3429
81R20154 JRJ-D By: Gutierrez (Van de Putte)
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
5/6/2009
Engrossed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Since 2000, Texas has worked to prevent childhood obesity and the chronic diseases related to obesity. Most of these efforts have focused on the school-aged child, however, more studies are addressing the benefits of beginning such efforts in early childhood. Texas has been addressing the nutrition education of small populations for many years. The Texas AgriLife Extension Service (AgriLife) has been helping economically disadvantaged parents of young children learn practical lessons in basic nutrition via the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program since 1969. In 1995, AgriLife expanded its nutrition education program with the Better Living for Texans program, which serves food stamp recipients, applicants, and other approved audiences.
H.B. 3429 ensures that as Texas progresses toward addressing childhood obesity issues among pre-school aged children, the experience and expertise of AgriLife is utilized by the larger agencies responsible for the administration of various related education and nutrition programs.
H.B. 3429 adds Subchapter K (Texas AgriLife Extension Service) to Chapter 88 (Agencies and Services of the Texas A&M University System), Education Code, and requires the Texas AgriLife Extension Service to perform certain duties related to program reports.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 88, Education Code, by adding Subchapter K, as follows:
SUBCHAPTER K. TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE
Sec. 88.821. DEFINITION. Defines "extension service."
Sec. 88.822. PROGRAM REPORTS. (a) Requires the Texas AgriLife Extension Service (extension service) to make a presentation to the commissioner of education, the commissioner of agriculture, and the commissioner of the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and to provide copies of reports to the Texas Education Agency, the Department of Agriculture, and DSHS, and any council in which representatives from all three of those agencies are members, on the following programs:
(1) the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), which provides nutrition education for economically disadvantaged parents of young children;
(2) the Better Living for Texans (BLT) program, a component of the national Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides education programs to food stamp recipients, applicants, and other approved audiences to help improve their ability to plan and prepare nutritious meals, stretch food dollars, and prepare and store food safely; and
(3) other similar programs as determined by the extension service.
(b) Requires the extension service to provide a copy of each report described by Subsection (a) to the legislature not later than December 15 of each even-numbered year.
(c) Provides that this section does not affect any other requirement for the extension service to make a report to any state or federal agency.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.