HB 1479-FN – AS INTRODUCED
2010 SESSION
04/01
HOUSE BILL 1479-FN
AN ACT requiring that body mass index be assessed in all pupils in grades one, 4, 7, and 10.
SPONSORS: Rep. Schulze, Hills 26; Rep. Stiles, Rock 15; Rep. French, Merr 5; Rep. Hogan, Hills 25; Rep. Pilliod, Belk 5; Sen. Hassan, Dist 23
COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
This bill requires body mass index be assessed in all pupils in grades one, 4, 7, and 10 who have not opted out for religious reasons.
This bill is a request of the commission on the prevention of childhood obesity established by 2008, 219.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
10-2319
04/01
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Ten
AN ACT requiring that body mass index be assessed in all pupils in grades one, 4, 7, and 10.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; School Health Services; Body Mass Index Assessment. Amend RSA 200 by inserting after section 32 the following new section:
200:32-a Body Mass Index Assessment.
I. In addition to the requirements of RSA 200:32, the school nurse of every school shall conduct a body mass index assessment for all pupils in grades one, 4, 7, and 10 who have not opted out pursuant to paragraph II. The assessment shall not include the pupil’s name, address, phone number, date of birth, social security number, or any other personally identifiable information about the pupil. The results of the assessment shall be provided to the school board, the school administrative unit superintendent, and to the department of education. The school shall retain the assessment results as part of the pupil’s school health record. The school shall furnish a copy of the assessment results to the parents or legal guardians of the pupil.
II. No body mass index assessment shall be required of a child whose parent or guardian objects thereto in writing on the grounds that such assessment is contrary to the child's religious tenets and teachings. The school shall develop a form allowing a parent or legal guardian to opt out of the body mass index assessment for religious reasons.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
LBAO
10-2319
Revised 10/30/09
HB 1479-FN - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT requiring that body mass index be assessed in all pupils in grades one, 4, 7, and 10.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Education states this bill may increase local expenditures by $86,261 in FY 2010, $90,574 in FY 2011, $95,103 in FY 2012, $99,858 in FY 2013, and $104,851 in FY 2014. There will be no fiscal impact on state, county, and local revenue or state and county expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Education states this bill requires school nurses to annually assess the body mass index of every student in grades one, four, seven, and ten who have not opted out for religious reasons. The Department states a survey of school nurses in 2009 indicates approximately 50% of school nurses annually record height and weight for certain grades, and 21% of those recorded are converted to body mass index. The Department assumes 50% of students in the grades identified will be impacted by this bill. There are currently 60,534 students in the grades identified; therefore, an estimated 30,267 will be impacted. The Department assumes 5 minutes per student will be required to record height and weight, calculate body mass index, and communicate with parents. The Department states the average school nurse salary is $47,000, or $0.57 per minute. The Department estimates the cost to local school districts to implement the requirements contained in this bill will be $86,261 in FY 2010 (30,267 students X 5 minutes per student X $0.57 per minute). The Department estimates the annual cost to local school districts will increase by 5% in subsequent school years, for estimated costs of $90,574 in FY 2011, $95,103 in FY 2012, $99,858 in FY 2013, and $104,851 in FY 2014.