Who:        Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., Chairman
            What:       Public Hearing
            Where:      The Texas Capitol, E1.012
            When:       June 29, 2004 at 10 a.m.
    

AUSTIN, TX--Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. announced today that the next hearing of the Joint Interim Committee on Nutrition and Health in Public Schools will include invited and public testimony.

Updates by the three agencies involved will be presented by the Texas Departments of Agriculture, Education and Health on the charges made to the committee under Senate Bill 474 from the 78th legislative session, authored by Sen. Lucio and sponsored by Rep. Jaime Capelo.

The charges include:

1. determining the nutritional content and quality of foods and beverages served to public school children, including food service meals, a la carte foods, and competitive foods and food provided in vending machines;
2. evaluating the short-term and long-term financial, psychological, and physiological impact of obesity in public school children;
3. assessing the academic, emotional, and health value of a universal breakfast and lunch program by evaluating school children from school districts that provide each child a free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch;
4. evaluating school contracts relating to competitive food products and vending machines.

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TENTATIVE AGENDA
June 29, 2004 at 10 a.m.
Senate Committee Hearing Room E1.012

  I.    CALL TO ORDER

 II.    ROLL CALL

III.    COMMITTEE BUSINESS
        A.  OPENING REMARKS BY CHAIR
        B.  OPENING REMARKS BY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
        C.  ADOPTION OF MINUTES

 IV.    UPDATE ON CHARGES FOR SENATE BILL 474
        Commissioner Susan Combs
        Texas Department of Agriculture
        Commissioner Shirley Neeley
        Texas Department of Education
        Barbara Keir, M.D., R.D., Director
        Bureau of Clinical and Nutrition Services
        Texas Department of Health

  V.    INVITED TESTIMONY
        Deanna M. Hoelscher, Ph.D., R.D., L.D., C.N.S.
        Paul Villas, D.Ed., CHES
        Border Health Office -University of Texas Pan-American
        Consuelo "Connie" Herrera Barr, Principal
        Mendez  Middle School, Austin
    
  VI.   PUBLIC TESTIMONY
        
 VII.   OTHER BUSINESS

VIII.   RECESS