BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2084
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 2084 (Brownley)
As Amended August 20, 2010
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |44-26|(May 24, 2010) |SENATE: |22-15|(August 30, |
| | | | | |2010) |
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Original Committee Reference: HUM. S.
SUMMARY : Creates minimum standards for beverages that are
served in licensed child day care facilities. Specifically,
this bill :
1)Requires, starting January 1, 2012, licensed child day care
facilities to:
a) Serve only low fat or nonfat milk to children ages two
or older;
b) Limit juice to not more than one serving per day of 100%
juice;
c) Serve no beverages with added sweeteners, either natural
or artificial; and,
d) Make clean and safe drinking water readily available and
accessible for consumption throughout the day.
2)Creates exemptions to the above requirements for children with
"medical necessities," as defined, and for parents who provide
beverages for their children to the child care facility.
3)Specifies that the Department of Social Services (DSS) only
need to inspect these facilities for compliance during
regularly scheduled inspections.
4)Makes findings and declarations regarding what research has
shown about the connection between unhealthy food preferences
and childhood obesity.
The Senate amendments :
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1)Delay implementation of the bill's provisions to January 1,
2012.
2)Specify that DSS perform oversight of the provisions of this
bill during regularly scheduled inspections and is not
required to conduct separate independent visits.
3)Authorize DSS to update the requirements in the bill if there
are changes in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
4)Add a coauthor.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill was substantially similar
to the version passed by the Senate.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, "The Department of Social Services believes this bill
would likely drive new costs related to oversight, evaluation,
and training of staff. These costs are estimated to be
approximately $150,000 per year. Staff understands that the DSS
is working with the author to find ways to limit the bill's
costs."
COMMENTS : This bill addresses nutritional standards in licensed
child care settings in an effort to fight childhood obesity.
Under the state Child Day Care Facilities Act, child day care
centers are required to provide safe and healthy environments
for children. Generally, these facilities must comply with
state mandated licensure requirements in the following areas:
Fire clearance, capacity determination, teacher to child ratio,
indoor/outdoor space requirements, staffing for water
activities, administrator qualifications, director
qualifications, teacher and teacher aide qualifications, and
food service. According to the author, there are 15,140
licensed center-based sites and 42,907 family home sites in
California, with capacity for 1.2 million children from birth to
12 years of age.
The press is full of reports and stories of obesity in the
United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, approximately one of every four children between the
ages of two to five has a high body mass index, putting these
children at risk of obesity, which can lead to type-two
AB 2084
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diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, and other adverse health
conditions. Childhood obesity can lead to obese adults with
chronic health conditions resulting in increased health costs.
Good nutrition, physical activity and limiting media exposures
(e.g., TV time) help to prevent childhood obesity. With over
four million children between birth and 12 years of age in
California having one or two working parents who rely on child
care services, child care settings, including center and
home-based care, play an important role in influencing good
eating habits and teaching the importance of physical
activities.
In August 2007, the California Department of Education (CDE) and
the Health and Human Services Agency convened a stakeholder
group to come up with key recommendations for reducing childhood
overweight/obesity in child care settings. This group came up
with a number of recommendations, including adding nutrition and
activity standards in child care licensing and strengthening
nutrition standards in the Child Care and Adult Food Program in
California. This bill is consistent with those efforts.
This bill would create standards for beverages served in
licensed child care settings. The author states that research
increasingly points to sugary beverages, such as soda, sports
drinks, and juice drinks, as a major factor in rising rates of
obesity. The extra calories from sugar drinks accounts for
nearly half of the increase in calories Americans have consumed
over the past 30 years. A simple switch from these sugary
drinks to water could result in 235 fewer calories consumed per
day. This bill encourages healthier habits by establishing
guidelines for beverages provided by providers, including
restricting sugary drinks, encouraging water consumption,
limiting juice to one serving of 100% juice, and promoting low
fat and nonfat milk. These nutrition guidelines are consistent
with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and
recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
This bill is also consistent with the Governor's initiative to
fight obesity. In part, the Governor proposes to require school
districts to make fresh drinking water available in food service
areas and prohibit the sale of sports drinks in middle and high
schools.
AB 2084
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Analysis Prepared by : Frances Chacon / HUM. S. / (916)
319-2089
FN:
0006640