hr369.html

05 LC 22 5845

House Resolution 369

By: Representative Manning of the 32nd

A RESOLUTION

Creating the House Study Committee on Nutrition and Obesity of Children From Birth to Age Five; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, Georgiás children are Georgiás future; and

WHEREAS, to develop to their full potential, preschool children need a loving, nurturing relationship with their parents or guardians; good nutrition; and adequate exercise, stimulation, and communication; and

WHEREAS, young children cannot speak for themselves, and a preschool child who is experiencing a lack of some element vital for healthy development may not get the help needed; and

WHEREAS, young children from birth to five years of age require healthy eating habits and physical development to enhance their brain development, improving their ability to enter school healthy and ready to learn; and

WHEREAS, 26 percent of Georgiás young children from two to four years of age are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight; and

WHEREAS, better coordination of existing programs and services could help ensure access to information and resources to ensure good nutrition and prevent obesity in young children; and

WHEREAS, a careful study of existing programs and services and a comparison of nutrition and obesity in young children in counties providing access to information and resources with the nutrition and obesity of young children in other counties would be a first step toward ensuring that all of Georgiás children are safe, healthy, and growing toward successful lives.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that there is created the House Study Committee on Nutrition and Obesity of Children From Birth to Age Five to be composed of 24 members. Five members of the House of Representatives shall be appointed to the committee by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint four additional members to include a dietitian, a child care provider, an employee of a county health department, and a representative of the business community. The committee shall include four ex officio members or their designees: the commissioner of the Department of Early Care and Learning; the director of the Family Health Unit of the Public Health Division of the Department of Human Resources; the State School Superintendent; and the director of Smart Start. Additionally, the committee shall include a representative from the School of Family and Consumer Sciences of the University of Georgia; the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic of Emory University; the Association of Pediatricians; the American Academy of Pediatrics; Family Connection Partnership; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Childreńs Healthcare of Atlanta. The Governor shall appoint four members, to include a parent of a child who is age five or younger, a representative of a local Family Connection organization, a representative of the cooperative extension service, and a person with expertise in early childhood development. The Speaker shall designate a member of the committee as chairperson of the committee. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs, issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution. Expenses of committee members who are state officials or employees shall be reimbursed by their agencies. The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated from funds appropriated to the House of Representatives. The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member of the committee for more than seven days unless additional days are authorized. The committee is authorized to use funds available from federal grants or other grants for the purposes of the committee. Staff support for the committee may be provided by the Department of Early Care and Learning and the Family Connection Partnership. In the event the committee makes a report of its findings and recommendations, with suggestions for proposed legislation, if any, such report shall be made on or before December 1, 2005. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2005.