Resolve, To Establish a Schoolchildren's Well-being Stakeholder Group

Sec. 1. Schoolchildren’s well-being stakeholder group established. Resolved: That the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services, referred to in this resolve as the departments, shall, within existing budgeted resources, convene a schoolchildren’s well-being stakeholder group, referred to in this resolve as "the stakeholder group"; and be it further

Sec. 2. Stakeholder group membership. Resolved: That the departments shall invite participation by:

A. Representatives from academia involved in food science research or studies;

B. Representatives from the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association;

C. Researchers or executives from the food science industry;

D. School nutritionists;

E. School nurses;

F. Special education teachers and other teachers;

G. Parents of schoolchildren; and

H. Any other interested parties; and be it further

Sec. 3. Duties. Resolved: That the stakeholder group shall identify options and alternatives to improve and maintain the nutritional well-being of schoolchildren. In undertaking its work under this section, the stakeholder group's goal is to make recommendations to improve childhood health and student performance through nutritional strategies that include food choices and dietary supplementation with particular emphases on addressing childhood behavioral disorders, attention-deficit and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders, autism spectrum disorders and child obesity; and be it further

Sec. 4. Report. Resolved: That, no later than December 15, 2009, the departments shall jointly submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs and the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services that includes the findings of the stakeholder group, the options and alternatives developed by the stakeholder group and any analysis by the departments of those options and alternatives. The report may include suggested legislation. The Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services and the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs may each submit legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature related to the report of the departments.

summary

This resolve requires the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services to jointly convene a stakeholder group to identify options and alternatives to improve and maintain the nutritional well-being of schoolchildren. In particular, the focus of the stakeholder group will be to explore ways and make recommendations to address childhood behavioral disorders, attention-deficit and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders, autism spectrum disorders and child obesity through nutritional strategies that include food choices and dietary supplementation. The departments will present the work of the stakeholder group to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs and the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services and may suggest legislation to the joint standing committees, which may in turn submit legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature.