Legislation

S. 174: “The Healthy Lifestyles and Prevention America Act” (HeLP America Act)
Sponsor: Sen. Tom Harkin
Introduced: 1/25/2011
Cosponsors: (None)
Latest Major Action: 1/25/2011 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

This legislation is aimed towards promoting child wellness across the country by expanding programs focusing on children's nutrition and physical activity in schools as well as in child care facilities.  It would expand the “free fruit program” and provide funding for students with disabilities to participate in schools and colleges.

The bill would further expand healthy activities not only in schools, but in the community, by permitting the use of schools for recreational and nutritional purposes during non-school hours. Furthermore, it would award grants for individuals with disabilities wishing to participate in sports programs and establish community gardens. It would also require the creation of physical activity guidelines for the general public, and promote breastfeeding among working mothers.

At the federal level, the bill would do the following:

• Establish a program to assist federal departments and agencies in integrating health goals into their activities.
• Set (1) Nutritional standards for food provided in fedral buildings and the inclusion of nutritional information on food labels, (2) prompts encouraging individuals to use stairs, and (3) installation of bicycle storage areas.
• Sets forth provisions to reduce the sodium content of processed food and restaurant food, expand nutritional labeling requirements, establish a front-label food guidance system, and strengthen health literacy.

Read full bill text here.

H.R.2346: “Balancing Act of 2011”
Sponsor: Rep. Lynne Woolsey
Introduced: 6/23/2011
Cosponsors: (57)
Latest Major Action: 9/8/2011, referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

This legislation would amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 by establishing a Family and Medical Insurance Program. The program would establish that an eligible employee of a covered employer shall be entitled to family and medical leave insurance benefits for a total of 12 workweeks of leave during any 12-month program.

This legislation would also:

• Entitles eligible employees and federal employees to take specified additional leave for parental involvement and family wellness.
• Healthy Families Act - Requires certain employers to provide paid sick time to their employees, including time to address domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
• Prohibits such employers from discriminating against employees for their legitimate use of paid sick time.
• Healthy Early Education Workforce Grant Program Act - Requires a state receiving certain funds to expend them for the federal share of the cost of providing access to affordable health benefits coverage for eligible child care providers and, at state discretion, their spouses, domestic partners, and dependents.
• Amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to require the school breakfast program to provide free breakfasts to school children without regard to family income.
• Afterschool Education Enhancement Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 with respect to requirements for state applications for 21st century community learning center grants. Repeals the restriction in such applications to students attending schools: (1) eligible for certain schoolwide programs; (2) serving a high percentage of students from low-income families; or (3) in need of academic improvement.


Regulation

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