Senate File 2319 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES
(SUCCESSOR TO SSB 3225)
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to disease prevention and wellness including the
2 Iowa healthy communities initiative and the governor's council
3 on physical fitness and nutrition.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
5 TLSB 5740SV 82
6 pf/rj/8
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 135.27, Code 2007, is amended by
1 2 striking the section and inserting in lieu thereof the
1 3 following:
1 4 135.27 IOWA HEALTHY COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE == GRANT
1 5 PROGRAM.
1 6 1. PROGRAM GOALS. The department shall establish a grant
1 7 program to energize local communities to transform the
1 8 existing culture into a culture that promotes healthy
1 9 lifestyles and leads collectively, community by community, to
1 10 a healthier state. The grant program shall expand an existing
1 11 healthy communities initiative to assist local boards of
1 12 health, in collaboration with existing community resources, to
1 13 build community capacity in addressing the prevention of
1 14 chronic disease that results from risk factors including being
1 15 overweight and obesity.
1 16 2. DISTRIBUTION OF GRANTS. The department shall
1 17 distribute the grants on a competitive basis and shall support
1 18 the grantee communities in planning and developing wellness
1 19 strategies and establishing methodologies to sustain the
1 20 strategies. Grant criteria shall be consistent with the
1 21 existing statewide initiative between the department and the
1 22 department's partners that promotes increased opportunities
1 23 for physical activity and healthy eating for Iowans of all
1 24 ages, or its successor, and the statewide comprehensive plan
1 25 developed by the existing statewide initiative to increase
1 26 physical activity, improve nutrition, and promote healthy
1 27 behaviors. Grantees shall demonstrate an ability to maximize
1 28 local, state, and federal resources effectively and
1 29 efficiently.
1 30 3. DEPARTMENTAL SUPPORT. The department shall provide
1 31 support to grantees including capacity=building strategies,
1 32 technical assistance, consultation, and ongoing evaluation.
1 33 4. ELIGIBILITY. Local boards of health representing a
1 34 coalition of health care providers and community and private
1 35 organizations are eligible to submit applications.
2 1 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 135.27A GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON
2 2 PHYSICAL FITNESS AND NUTRITION.
2 3 1. A governor's council on physical fitness and nutrition
2 4 is established consisting of twelve members appointed by the
2 5 governor who have expertise in physical activity, nutrition,
2 6 and promoting healthy behaviors. At least one member shall be
2 7 a representative of elementary and secondary education
2 8 professionals, at least one member shall be a health care
2 9 professional, and at least one member shall be an active
2 10 nutrition or fitness professional. The governor shall select
2 11 a chairperson for the council. Members shall serve terms of
2 12 three years beginning and ending as provided in section 69.19.
2 13 Appointments are subject to sections 69.16 and 69.16A.
2 14 Members are entitled to receive reimbursement for actual
2 15 expenses incurred while engaged in the performance of official
2 16 duties. A member of the council may also be eligible to
2 17 receive compensation as provided in section 7E.6.
2 18 2. The council shall assist in developing a strategy for
2 19 implementation of the statewide comprehensive plan developed
2 20 by the existing statewide initiative to increase physical
2 21 activity, improve nutrition, and promote healthy behaviors.
2 22 The strategy shall include specific components relating to
2 23 specific populations and settings including early childhood,
2 24 educational, local community, worksite wellness, health care,
2 25 and older Iowans. The initial draft of the implementation
2 26 plan shall be submitted to the governor and the general
2 27 assembly by December 1, 2008.
2 28 3. The council shall assist the department in establishing
2 29 and promoting a best practices internet site. The internet
2 30 site shall provide examples of wellness best practices for
2 31 individuals, communities, workplaces, and schools and shall
2 32 include successful examples of both evidence=based and
2 33 nonscientific programs as a resource.
2 34 4. The council shall provide oversight for the governor's
2 35 physical fitness challenge. The governor's physical fitness
3 1 challenge shall be administered by the department and shall
3 2 provide for the establishment of partnerships with communities
3 3 or school districts to offer the physical fitness challenge
3 4 curriculum to elementary and secondary school students. The
3 5 council shall develop the curriculum, including benchmarks and
3 6 rewards, for advancing the school wellness policy through the
3 7 challenge.
3 8 EXPLANATION
3 9 This bill relates to the Iowa healthy communities
3 10 initiative grant program and the governor's council on
3 11 physical fitness and nutrition.
3 12 The bill directs the department of public health to
3 13 establish an Iowa healthy communities initiative grant program
3 14 to assist local communities in transforming the existing
3 15 culture into a culture that promotes healthy lifestyles and
3 16 leads collectively, community by community, to a healthier
3 17 state. The bill provides that the grant program is to allow
3 18 for expansion of an existing healthy communities initiative to
3 19 help local boards of health in collaboration with existing
3 20 community resources to build community capacity in addressing
3 21 the prevention of chronic disease that results from risk
3 22 factors including being overweight and obesity.
3 23 The bill requires the department to distribute grants on a
3 24 competitive basis to support the project communities in
3 25 planning and developing wellness strategies and establishing
3 26 methodologies to sustain the strategies. Grant criteria must
3 27 be consistent with an existing statewide initiative between
3 28 the department and the department's partners that promotes
3 29 increased opportunities for physical activity and healthy
3 30 eating for Iowans of all ages, or its successor, and the
3 31 statewide comprehensive plan developed by the existing
3 32 statewide initiative to increase physical activity, improve
3 33 nutrition, and promote healthy behaviors. Grantees are
3 34 required to demonstrate an ability to maximize local, state,
3 35 and federal resources effectively and efficiently. The bill
4 1 directs the department to provide support to grantees
4 2 including capacity=building strategies, technical assistance,
4 3 consultation, and ongoing evaluation. Under the bill, local
4 4 boards of health representing a coalition of health care
4 5 providers, and community and private organizations are
4 6 eligible to submit applications.
4 7 The bill establishes the governor's council on physical
4 8 fitness, specifies the membership of the council, and provides
4 9 the administrative specifications for the council. The
4 10 council is directed to assist the department in developing a
4 11 strategy for implementation of the statewide comprehensive
4 12 plan developed by the existing statewide initiative to
4 13 increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and promote
4 14 healthy behaviors. The initial draft of the implementation
4 15 plan is to be submitted to the governor and the general
4 16 assembly by December 1, 2008. The bill also directs the
4 17 council to assist the department in establishing and promoting
4 18 a best practices internet site and to provide oversight for
4 19 the governor's physical fitness challenge.
4 20 LSB 5740SV 82
4 21 pf/rj/8