HB0612eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0612 Engrossed LRB094 06692 RXD 36786 b

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section 2310-371.5 as follows:

(20 ILCS 2310/2310-371.5 new)

Sec. 2310-371.5. Childhood Health Promotion Program.

(a) Subject to appropriations for this purpose, the Department shall establish a Childhood Health Promotion Program to prevent and reduce the incidence and prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents, especially among populations with high rates of obesity and obesity-related health complications including, but not limited to, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, osteoarthritis, asthma and other conditions. The program shall use recommendations and goals of the United States Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, the Surgeon General, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in developing and implementing guidelines for nutrition education and physical activity projects as part of childhood health prevention efforts. The content and implementation of the program shall stress the benefits of choosing a balanced, healthful diet from the many options available to consumers, without specifically targeting the elimination of any particular food group, food product, or food-related industry.

(b) The program may include, but need not be limited to, the following features:

(1) Developing media health promotion campaigns targeted to children and adolescents and their parents and caregivers that emphasize increasing consumption of low-calorie, high nutrient foods, decreasing consumption of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, and increasing physical activity designed to prevent or reduce obesity.

(2) Establishing school-based childhood nutrition education and physical activity programs including linkages to physical and health education courses.

(3) Establishing community-based childhood nutrition education and physical activity programs including programs which involve parents and caregivers.

(4) Coordinating with the State Board of Education, Department of Human Services, Department of Children and Family Services, Department of Public Aid, and other federal, State, and local agencies to incorporate strategies of the program into government food assistance, health, education, and recreation programs.

(5) Sponsoring periodic conferences or meetings to bring together experts in nutrition, exercise, public health, mental health, education, parenting, media, food marketing, food security, agriculture, community planning, and other disciplines to examine societal-based solutions to the problem of childhood obesity and issue guidelines and recommendations for State policy and programs.

(6) Developing training programs for medical and other health professionals to teach practical skills in nutrition and exercise education to children and their parents and caregivers.

(c) The Department shall periodically collect and analyze information from schools, health and nutrition programs, and other sources to determine the prevalence of childhood obesity in the State and to evaluate, to the extent possible, the effectiveness of the program.

(d) The Department may, directly or through contract, administer the program within the amount of funds available. The Department shall also make grants, within the amount of funds available, for community-based projects targeted to high-risk populations to implement the provisions of this Section.

Section 10. The School Code is amended by adding Sections 10-20.40 and 34-18.32 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-20.40 new)

Sec. 10-20.40. School District Nutrition Advisory Committees.

(a) To authorize and encourage every district to establish a Child Nutrition Advisory Committee, which shall:

(1) Include, but is not limited to, a representative of the school district, the food preparation staff, the physical education departments, the school nurse or health staff, a registered dietitian, if available, the faculty of the district, the parent teacher associations in the district, the students enrolled in the district, and the parents or guardians of students enrolled in the district which shall meet at least quarterly; or if it is not possible or practical for all groups recommended to have members on the committee to be represented, the district may approve a committee that, to the greatest extent possible, represents the interests of the recommended groups.

(2) Study all facets of the current nutritional policies of the district including, but not limited to, the goals of the district to promote health and proper nutrition, vending machine sales, menu criteria, educational curriculum teaching health nutrition, educational information provided to parents or guardians regarding healthy nutrition and the health risks associated with obesity, opportunities offered to parents or guardians to encourage healthier eating habits to students, and the education provided to teachers and other staff as to the importance of health nutrition.

(3) Consider recommendations and practices of other districts and nutrition studies.

(4) Report the status of the implementation of the district's programs to improve students' nutritional awareness and a healthy diet to the board of the local school district.

(5) Report periodically to the district regarding practices that will educate teachers, parents or guardians, and children about healthy nutrition and raise awareness of the dangers of obesity. The committee is also encouraged to provide any parent teacher association in the district with such findings and recommendations.

(b) The district is encouraged to give, in a newsletter, if any, that precedes the commencement of school in the fall, written notice to all parents or guardians of enrolled students of the existence of the committee and supply information as to how interested parents or guardians may participate on the committee. The district is encouraged to give notice to all parents or guardians and students, through its regular newsletters or other regular forms of written communication, of the scheduled dates of committee meetings.

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.32 new)

Sec. 34-18.32. School Board Nutrition Advisory Committees.

(a) The board shall authorize and encourage the establishment of a Child Nutrition Advisory Committee, which shall:

(1) Include, but is not limited to, a representative of the board, school preparation staff, physical education departments, school nurses or health staff, a registered dietitian, if available, faculty, parent teacher associations in the district, enrolled students, and parents or guardians of enrolled students, which shall meet at least quarterly; or if it is not possible or practical for all groups recommended to have members on the committee to be represented, the board may approve a committee that, to the greatest extent possible, represents the interests of the recommended groups.

(2) Study all facets of the current nutritional policies of the district including, but not limited to, the goals of the district to promote health and proper nutrition, vending machine sales, menu criteria, educational curriculum teaching health nutrition, educational information provided to parents or guardians regarding healthy nutrition and the health risks associated with obesity, opportunities offered to parents or guardians to encourage healthier eating habits to students, and the education provided to teachers and other staff as to the importance of health nutrition.

(3) Consider recommendations and practices of other schools and nutrition studies.

(4) Report the status of the implementation of the district's programs to improve students' nutritional awareness and a healthy diet to the board.

(5) Report periodically to the board regarding practices that will educate teachers, parents or guardians, and children about healthy nutrition and raise awareness of the dangers of obesity. The committee is also encouraged to provide any parent teacher association in the district with such findings and recommendations.

(b) The board is encouraged to give, in a newsletter, if any, that precedes the commencement of school in the fall, written notice to all parents or guardians of enrolled students of the existence of the committee and supply information as to how interested parents or guardians may participate on the committee. The board is encouraged to give notice to all parents or guardians and students, through its regular newsletters or other regular forms of written communication, of the scheduled dates of committee meetings.