Texas 2011 - 82nd Regular

Texas House Bill HB3451 Compare Versions

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Old	New	Differences
1	1	82R24153 EES-F
2	2	By: King of Taylor H.B. No. 3451
3	3	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3451:
4	4	By: Taylor of Collin C.S.H.B. No. 3451
5	5
6	6
7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to improving nutrition and health outcomes among
10	10	recipients of benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance
11	11	program.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY. The
14	14	legislature finds that:
15	15	(1) Texans are committed to ensuring the health of
16	16	families and children and understand the importance of the role
17	17	preventive health care measures have on population health and the
18	18	state economy;
19	19	(2) consuming healthy foods such as fruits,
20	20	vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and
21	21	seafood, and consuming fewer foods with sodium, saturated and trans
22	22	fats, added sugars, and refined grains, are important preventive
23	23	health care measures; and
24	24	(3) public benefits programs that provide recipients
25	25	with access to an adequate and nutritional diet should incorporate
26	26	sound nutritional principles and promote the health and well-being
27	27	of recipients.
28	28	SECTION 2. WAIVER OR OTHER AUTHORIZATION TO IMPROVE
29	29	NUTRITION AND HEALTH OUTCOMES UNDER CERTAIN PROGRAMS. (a) The
30	30	executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission
31	31	shall develop and seek a waiver or other appropriate authorization
32	32	from the United States secretary of agriculture under Section 17,
33	33	Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. Section 2026), to make
34	34	changes to the supplemental nutrition assistance program provided
35	35	under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, to improve nutrition and
36	36	health outcomes among recipients of benefits under the program.
37	37	(b) In developing the waiver or other authorization under
38	38	Subsection (a) of this section, the executive commissioner of the
39	39	Health and Human Services Commission may consider the feasibility,
40	40	including the costs and benefits, of:
41	41	(1) restricting the purchase of certain food items
42	42	with minimal nutritional value under the supplemental nutrition
43	43	assistance program; and
44	44	(2) promoting healthy food choices by recipients of
45	45	benefits under the program.
46	46	(c) In developing the waiver or other authorization under
47	47	Subsection (a) of this section, the executive commissioner of the
48	48	Health and Human Services Commission shall solicit input from
49	49	interested persons, including state agencies that administer
50	50	nutritional assistance programs, nonprofit organizations that
51	51	administer hunger relief programs, health care providers,
52	52	nutrition experts, food retailers, and food industry
53	53	representatives.
54	54	(d) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this
55	55	Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services
56	56	Commission shall apply for and actively pursue the waiver or other
57	57	authorization as required by Subsection (a) of this section.
58	58	SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect
59	59	immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members
60	60	elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
61	61	Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
62	62	immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2011.