Food Policy
Food Policy sub-topics:
| Food Taxes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill # | Author | Status | Brief Description | Past Bills (2011) |
| SB 493 | Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. | FAILED; Referred to Finance; Referred to s/c on Fiscal Matters |
Imposes a penny per ounce tax on sugary drinks, including powders and syrups used to make sugary drinks. | Similar bill SB 1004 Failed to pass; Received a hearing in Health & Human Services but left in committee. |
| HB 779 | Rep. Joe Farias | FAILED; Referred to Ways & Means |
Imposes a tax of one cent per oz. on all sugar-sweetened beverages. Dedicates some of revenue to promotion of children’s health programs. | HB 2209 Failed to pass; left pending in Ways & Means Committee. |
| HB 735 | Rep. Joe Farias | FAILED; Referred to Ways & Means |
Imposes a tax of 5 cents for every 12 oz. on all sugar-sweetened beverages. Dedicates some of revenue to promotion of children’s health programs. | HB 2213 Failed to pass; left pending in Ways & Means Committee. |
| HJR 74 | Rep. Richard Peña Raymond | FAILED; Referred to Ways & Means |
Proposes a constitutional amendment that prohibits the legislature from imposing a state tax on any food or drink that was not subject to taxation on January 1, 2013. | |
| SB 1151 | Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa | Passed Senate & House; signed by the Governor | Expands tax break on food products to include certain snack foods (excluding unhealthy snacks). | |
Resources1. Texas State Government Effectiveness and Efficiency Report (PDF)–see page 46 of report Keep scrolling. More bills in Food Policy below… |
||||
| SNAP Program | ||||
| Bill # | Author | Status | Brief Description | Past Bills (2011) |
| HB 523 | Rep. Terry Canales | FAILED; Referred to Human Services; out of committee |
A recipient may not use SNAP benefits to purchase energy drinks. | |
| HB 751 | Rep. Richard Peña Raymond | FAILED; Referred to Human Services; out of committee |
A recipient may not use SNAP benefits to purchase sugar-sweetened beverages, cookies, potato chips, or candy. | Similar: HB 1151 Failed to Pass; died on House floor. |
| HB 948 | Rep. Susan King | FAILED; Referred to Human Services; out of committee |
Creates pilot projects that would explore & study a variety of different approaches to encourage SNAP benefit recipients to purchase healthier foods. | |
| HB 1101 | Rep. Richard Peña Raymond | FAILED; Referred to Human Services; failed in committee |
Amends the list of allowable food items under to SNAP to better align with the allowable food purchases under the national free or reduced-price lunch program. Restricts the purchase of foods considered to have minimal nutritional value. | Similar: HB 3451 Failed to Pass; died on House floor. |
| HB 1827 | Rep. Naomi R. Gonzalez | FAILED; Referred to Human Services; out of committee |
Aims to encourage SNAP recipients to purchase healthy foods by restricting retailers from promoting the use of SNAP benefits to purchase foods of minimal nutritional value. | |
| HB 3434 | Rep. Richard Peña Raymond | FAILED; Passed House; Left pending in Health & Human Services |
Establishes a pilot program that encourages healthy food choices with SNAP benefits. A recipient of SNAP benefits receives additional benefits at the point of sale toward future purchases if the recipient purchases a nutritious food. | |
| HB 3631 | Rep. Terry Canales | FAILED; Referred to Human Services; out of committee |
SNAP benefits not used within 90-days will be expunged. | |
Resources1. Texas Health & Human Services Commission website: About SNAP Food Benefits |
||||
| Accessibility of Healthy Foods | ||||
| Bill # | Author | Status | Brief Description | Past Bills (2011) |
| HB 254 | Rep. Borris Miles | FAILED; No action taken in Natural Resources |
Provides an exemption to community gardens for wastewater fees. | |
| SB 133 | Sen. Jane Nelson | FAILED; Referred to Natural Resources |
Would establish a plan for using unused / underused state property as community gardens. | SB 184 Failed to pass; left pending in Natural Resources Committee. |
| HB 725 | Rep. Ryan Guillen | FAILED; Referred to Public Health |
Would establish a revolving loan fund to support investment in low-income areas in need of grocery stores. | |
| SB 415 | Sen. Rodney Ellis | FAILED; Referred to Agriculture, Rural Affairs & Homeland Security |
Nearly identical to HB 725. Only difference is that SB 415 requires Dept of Agriculture to implement the Act regardless of whether or not any money is appropriated by the legislature for implementation. Companion Bills: HB 1221 andHB 3616. | |
| HB 1221 | Rep. Borris Miles | FAILED; Referred to Agriculture & Livestock; failed in committee |
Identical to SB 415 andHB 3616 | |
| HB 3616 | Rep. Lon Burnam | FAILED; Left pending in Agriculture & Livestock |
Identical to HB 1221 andSB 415 | |
| SB 403 | Sen. Judith Zaffirini | FAILED; Referred to Government Organization; out of committee; no vote taken in Senate |
Would establish a revolving loan fund to support investment in low-income areas in need of grocery stores OR healthy corner stores. Adds provision that lender provide corner store loan recipients with training in business management & profitable sale of healthy foods, and caps all loans at $250,000. | |
| HB 1306 | Rep. Eddie Rodriguez | FAILED; Referred to Agriculture & Livestock; out of committee |
Reduces property taxes on urban community gardens. | |
| HB 1382 | Rep. David Simpson | Passed House & Senate; signed by the Governor | Relaxes some existing regulations & fees making it easier for sellers at farmers’ markets to provide cooking demonstrations and food samples to patrons. | |
Resources1. Institute of Medicine Fact Sheet: Making Healthy Foods and Beverages Available Everywhere (PDF) |
||||
| Nutrition Education Programs | ||||
| Bill # | Author | Status | Brief Description | Past Bills (2011) |
| HB 2111 | Rep. Mark Strama | Passed House & Senate; signed by the Governor | Adds services that will assist youth in developing skills in food preparation and nutrition education that promotes healthy food choices in the transitional living services program for certain youth in foster care. | |
| HB 3401 | Rep. Richard Peña Raymond | Passed House & Senate; signed by the Governor | Establishes an online nutrition and wellness education course that promotes healthy eating habits and a physically active lifestyle. The voluntary course will be promoted to individuals receiving certain state benefits. | |
Resources
|
||||
2013 Policy Topics
Webinar Series:
Child Health in the Texas Legislature
(Click Here)
Latest Webinar
Feeding With Impact:
Addressing obesity through nutrition education and access to fresh healthy produce
December 17, 2014
Speakers:
Celia Cole
Feeding Texas
Deanna Hoelscher, PhD, RD
UT School of Public Health
