HCR20 HD1.DOC

WHEREAS, obesity is a major health and economic concern for Hawaii and the nation, causing higher medical costs and lower quality of life; and

WHEREAS, in Hawaii, adult obesity more than doubled between 1995 and 2009, and childhood obesity increased by 38 percent from 1999 to 2009; and

WHEREAS, in Hawaii, one in three children entering kindergarten is overweight or obese, and one in two adults is overweight or obese; and

WHEREAS, obesity-related medical expenditures in the State, calculated to be over $470,000,000 in 2009, continue to rise; and

WHEREAS, obesity is a complex and multifaceted issue that requires the collaboration of stakeholders in government and the non-profit, private, and health care sectors to create systematic large-scale environmental changes; and

WHEREAS, the availability and prominence of healthy food and beverage options is critical to reducing obesity and increasing the ability of individuals to achieve and maintain a healthy weight; and

WHEREAS, the food choices made by administrators of state-run facilities and functions affect the food and beverage choices of employees, clients, residents, and the public; and

WHEREAS, the State encourages the use of nutrition guidelines for all food sold or provided on state-run property or purchased by state agencies for their functions, and food made available at state agencies in vending machines or through on-site vendors; and

WHEREAS, the development and adoption of nutrition guidelines for state facilities and functions would:

(1) Make state government the model of a healthy food and beverage environment;

(2) Support local and small business producers and distributors of healthy foods in Hawaii;

(3) Improve the nutritional quality of foods served, especially to the State's most vulnerable populations;

(4) Improve health risk reduction objectives for government employees by decreasing the promotion of unhealthy foods served; and

(5) Create work environments that support a healthy and productive workforce, which is important to Hawaii's economy;

now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2013, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Health is requested to establish the State Nutrition Guidelines Working Group to:

(1) Draft nutrition guidelines for state agencies;

(2) Create a toolkit for implementing the nutrition guidelines; and

(3) Develop recommendations for implementing the nutrition guidelines in all state agencies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Health is requested to appoint no more than 20 members to the State Nutrition Guidelines Working Group, comprising members with extensive knowledge, expertise, or experience in obesity prevention, nutrition, procurement, nutrition guidelines, vending, and related areas, as well as demonstrated interest and background beneficial to the function of the Working Group; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to assist the State Nutrition Guidelines Working Group by providing a facilitator; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Nutrition Guidelines Working Group is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2015; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the State Nutrition Guidelines Working Group serve without compensation and receive no reimbursement for expenses; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Nutrition Guidelines Working Group cease to exist on December 31, 2014; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Health, Director of Human Services, Administrator of the State Procurement Office, and Chairperson of the State Procurement Policy Board.

Report Title:

Working Group to Develop Nutrition Guidelines for State Agencies

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	20
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII