School Health and Wellness: State and Federal Legislation and Policy

School Health and Wellness: State and Federal Legislation and Policy House Bill 08-1224: Local Student Wellness Programs. Under this legislation, school districts are encouraged to expand their local wellness policies to adopt goals for several areas. The law emphasizes healthy choices and lifestyles, including physical education, nutrition, and mental health counseling. It also expands the Colorado Comprehensive Health Education Act to include local student wellness programs that are coordinated with health education and allows CDE to provide grant funding for student wellness to Colorado school districts (C.R.S. 22-32-136 et seq.). Senate Bill 08-129: Healthy Beverages Policy. Each school district is required to adopt and implement a policy that prohibits — except as specified by rules promulgated by the Colorado State Board of Education— the sale of beverages to students. It also requires the state board of education and the state charter school institute board to promulgate rules (1 CCR 301-79) that establish exceptions to the policy for the sale of beverages and satisfy minimum nutritional requirements for the sale of beverages at specific school events (C.R.S. 22-32-134.5). Senate Bill 07-059: Start Smart Nutrition Program Act. This program provides free breakfast to students in grades K-12 who qualify for reduced-price meals (C.R.S. 22-82.7). HEALTH EDUCATION House Bill 13-1081: Comprehensive Human Sexuality K-12 Education. This law updates the definition of “comprehensive human sexuality education” as evidence-based, comprehensive, medically accurate, and culturally sensitive. It includes positive youth development principles, meaning it focuses on enhancing the interests, skills, and abilities of youths versus focusing solely on risks and dangers (C.R.S. 22-1-128). It also creates the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s comprehensive human sexuality education grant program. C.R.S. 22-1-110: Effect of Use of Alcohol and Controlled Substances to be Taught. This statute requires that kindergarten through grade 12 students study the effects of alcohol and controlled substances on the human system. This topic should be included in other branches of study, and taught thoroughly and comparably to other branches of study. C.R.S. 22-25-106: Comprehensive Health Education Act. Passed in 1990, this law recommends quality implementation guidelines for comprehensive health education programs. HEALTHY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT House Bill 14-1301: Safe Routes to School. This law appropriates funds ($700,000) to create infrastructure that supports safe transportation to school for children in low-income neighborhoods (schools with greater than 50 percent of students who are eligible for free or reduced-cost meals). Infrastructure includes better sidewalks, bike routes, and lighted routes to enable children to walk and bike to school more safely (C.R.S. 43-1-1601). 6

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