The bill amends the Education Code to improve health and nutrition standards in Texas schools, particularly for students in full-day prekindergarten through grade eight, by requiring at least 30 minutes of daily moderate or vigorous physical activity. It also mandates high schools to offer an elective course in nutrition and wellness, adhering to guidelines from the newly established Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee, which will develop nutritional guidelines and oversee their implementation. Additionally, the bill ensures that physical activity cannot be restricted as a penalty for academic performance or behavior and allows exemptions for students unable to participate due to illness or disability.

Moreover, the bill enhances health and safety regulations by requiring food manufacturers to include warning labels on products with specific artificial colors, additives, or banned chemicals. It emphasizes the need for continuing education in nutrition for licensed healthcare professionals, linking it to license renewal processes. The Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee is tasked with submitting annual reports and the Department of Health must maintain a publicly accessible web page with updated nutritional guidelines. The bill also outlines provisions for the licensing of health professionals, with new rules applying only to license renewals filed after January 1, 2027, and is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 28.002 (Education Code 28)
House Committee Report: Education Code 28.002, Occupations Code 701.304 (Occupations Code 701, Education Code 28)