This page contains sample legislation for diabetes or diabetes-related issues from 2011, 2010, and 2009. Addtionally, a specific section of this page has been donated to Farm-to-School sample legislation.
Sample State Legislation 2011
► Enacted – California Assembly Bill 516 - Amends existing law which requires the Department of Transportation to establish and administer a Safe Routes to School program, and which requires the department to rate submitted proposals. This bill also substitutes a rating factor relating to the use of a specified public participation process, with involvement by the public, schools, parents, teachers, local agencies, the business community and others, adds another factor relating to the benefit of a proposal to a low-income school and makes other related changes.
► Enacted – California Assembly Bill 581 - Creates the state Healthy Food Financing Initiative. The bill also requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to prepare recommendations regarding actions that need to be taken to promote food access in the state, establishes a related council and advisory group, and creates a related fund for the purpose of expanding access to healthy foods in underserved communities and, to the extent practicable, to leverage other funding.
► Enacted – California Senate Bill 332 - Authorizes a landlord of a residential dwelling unit to prohibit the smoking of tobacco products on the property or on the premises on which the dwelling unit is located. This bill also makes certain requirements on notices and leases executed on and after, and on and before, a specified date, in that regard and requires that a landlord who prohibits smoking be subject to federal, state and local requirements governing changes to the terms of a lease or rental agreement for tenants.
► Enacted – Colorado House Bill 1069 - Requires each school district board of education to adopt a physical activity policy that meets specified requirements; requires certain charter schools to implement such policies.
► Enacted – Delaware House Bill 3 - Prohibits public schools, including charter schools, and school districts from making available or serving food or beverages that contains trans fat through a vending machine, school cafeteria or school food service establishment.
► Introduced - District of Columbia Bill 34 – Establishes a council for the mayor with the mission to promote physical fitness, health, and nutrition in the District of Columbia through recreational and workplace wellness programs.
► Introduced; Passed in House – Georgia House Resolution 527 - A resolution recognizing the need to promote diabetes awareness and testing in minority communities.
► Enacted – Illinois Senate Bill 1852 - Provides for the formation of the Farmers' Market Task Force to assist in enacting statewide administrative regulations for farmers' markets; provides for appointment of members of the Task Force and their corresponding duties; sets forth provisions concerning the statewide farmers' market food safety and licensing guidelines; makes corresponding changes in the Sanitary Food Preparation Act; provides for the adoption of rules concerning labels, sanitation, and food product safety.
► Introduced; Referred to Senate Committee on Assignments - Illinois Senate Bill 1942 – Amends the Insurance Code to include in the requirement for diabetes the following: self-management training; education coverage; and coverage for the treatment of pain associated with complications of diabetes.
► Introduced - Indiana House Bill 1496 - Creates the diabetes educator board and provides for the licensure of diabetes educators.
► Enacted – Kentucky Senate Bill 63 - Requires the Department for Medicaid Services, the Department for Public Health, the Office of Health Policy, and the Personnel Cabinet to report on the impact of diabetes, programs, and activities for controlling and preventing diabetes.
► Introduced – Pennsylvania Senate Bill 391 - Amends the Public School Code of 1949 in school health services in order to enact a Pennsylvania Safe at School Program. The bill provides for training of school employees in diabetes care and management and for possession and use of diabetes medication and monitoring equipment.
► Enacted – Washington House Bill 1447 - Provides that certain school personnel who have been trained by a licensed nurse can administer Glucagon to a student who is suffering from Type 1 diabetes; requires annual training of such personnel; and requires that parents sign authorizations to allow such administration.
Farm to School Legislation
Farm-to-School Legislation
As of August 2011, 35 states passed legislation regarding Farm-to-School programs. To learn more about these programs, please visit http://www.farmtoschool.org/. Samples of Farm-to-School legislation can be found below:
► Enacted – Alaska House Bill 70 - Establishes a farm to school program within the Department of Natural Resources to strengthen the links between state agriculture and state food procurement in schools, expand local markets, and improve the nutrition of school meals.
► Enacted – California Senate Bill 281 (2005) - Establishes the California Fresh Start Pilot Program to encourage and support schools to provide additional portions of fresh fruit and vegetables in the School Breakfast Program. The program is the nation’s first to earmark funds that would increase consumption fresh fruit and vegetables in a school food program, and it reimburses schools 10 cents for every breakfast offering an additional serving of fruit and vegetables, encouraging schools to buy California products when commercially available. The legislation requires sampling of local produce as a part of nutrition education and allows purchase of local products for this purpose. The legislation also provides the State Department of Education $400,000 to provide competitive grants to a county office of education or community college. Of this $400,000, not more than $100,000 can be used to cultivate an online professional development seminar for school-site staff on serving, safe-handling guidelines, marketing, and promoting fruits and vegetables. Also, not more than $300,000 of this money can be used for conducting a comprehensive evaluation.
► Enacted – Colorado Senate Bill 81 (2010) - Concerns creation of the Farm-To-School Healthy Kids Act, and, in connection therewith, establishing an interagency task force to develop farm-to-school program policies.
► Enacted – District of Columbia Bill 19-0144 – Also known as the “Healthy Schools Act of 2010” which was amended in 2011 and is currently cited as the “Healthy Schools Act of 2011.” This comprehensive act supports and outlines measures for expansion of school meals, increased physical education, increased health education, improvements to the school environment, and stronger school wellness policies.
► Enacted – Illinois Senate Bill 615 (2010) - Directs the Department of Agriculture to establish a farm-school database to facilitate the purchase of fresh produce and food products by schools. The database must contain the information necessary for schools to identify and contact agricultural producers that are interested in supplying schools in the state and for producers to identify schools in the state that are interested in purchasing their products. The legislation authorizes the department to solicit federal and state funding for implementing the program.
► Enacted – Missouri House Bill 344 (2011) - Provides for the Farm-to-Table Advisory Board to make recommendations allowing schools and state institutions to incorporate locally grown agricultural products into cafeteria offerings, salad bars, and vending machines and to provide an increase in public awareness of locally grown agricultural products role in healthy communities and lifestyles.
► Enacted – North Carolina – Part VII; Section 7.25 (2007) - The bill establishes statewide nutrition standards for school meals. The nutrition standards will promote gradual changes to increase fruits and vegetables, increase whole grain products, and decrease foods high in total fat, trans fat, saturated fat, and sugar
► Enacted – Oregon House Bill 2800 (2011) - Directs the Department of Education to award grants to school districts for reimbursement of costs incurred in purchasing Oregon food products that meet certain criteria and for funding food-based, agriculture-based and garden-based educational activities.
2010 Legislation
Sample Past Diabetes Legislation
2010 Legislation
► Enacted – Connecticut Senate Bill 354 – Allows the state’s Biomedical Research Trust Fund to award grants for diabetes research.
► Enacted – Florida House Bill 747 - Prohibits school districts from restricting the assignment of a student who has diabetes to a particular school on the basis that the student has diabetes. Additionally permits students with diabetes to carry diabetic supplies on their person and attend to the management and care of their diabetes while in school.
► Enacted – Georgia Senate Bill 435 - Enacts the Diabetes and Health Improvement Act of 2010 and establishes the Diabetes Control Grant Program to promote diabetes prevention and understanding in middle schools and high schools.
► Enacted – South Carolina House Bill 4621 - Establishes the Diabetes Initiative of South Carolina Board to establish a statewide program of education, surveillance, research, and translation of new diabetes treatment methods.
► Enacted – Act No. 8 West Virginia Senate Bill 213 - Appropriates $70,000 to the Diabetes Education Fund.
2009 Legislation
► Enacted – Illinois House Bill 2481 - Also known as Lilly’s Law, creates the neonatal diabetes mellitus registry pilot program.
► Enacted – North Carolina Senate Bill 738 - Requires the Board of Directors of charter schools to implement guidelines adopted by the State Board of Education for the development and implementation of individual diabetes care plans.
► Introduced – New York Assembly Bill 3652 - Provides for individual, group, and health maintenance organization coverage for glycated hemoglobin test for diabetes for up to four times per year when recommended or prescribed by a physician or other health care provider.
► Enacted – Texas House Bill 1990 - Requires the establishment of a diabetes self‐management training pilot program under the state Medicaid program.
State Legislation Overview
The National Conference of State Legislatures created the State Legislation Overview summarizing 2007-2010 diabetes-specific legislation throughout the nation.
How the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act may Impact State Legislators:
A number of provisions outlined in the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act can impact diabetes services and access to treatment. These services include access to coverage for the uninsured and a program to prevent type 2 diabetes. Children with pre-existing conditions are no longer denied coverage from their parent’s insurance. Other provisions that can impact people with diabetes include the following:
► Coverage Options for People with Pre-existing Conditions
People without insurance can now obtain coverage through high risk pools specifically created for those with pre-existing conditions through 2014.
► No Lifetime Limits on Benefits
Health insurance policies once held lifetime dollar limits on coverage. If a person with diabetes exceeded this limit, they were unable to get further coverage. Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, lifetime limits on health coverage have been prohibited since September 23, 2010.
► New Program to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes:
Under the National Diabetes Prevention Program, community organizations are provided grants for lifestyle intervention programs that prevent type 2 diabetes.
Source: For more information and timeline for the implementation of the law visit the American Diabetes Association’s Health Care Reform and People At-Risk for Diabetes factsheet.
Position Statements: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
American Diabetes Association; National Association of Chronic Disease Directors; American Academy of Emergency Medicine; American Heart Association; American Cancer Society; Association of American Medical Colleges;
