SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 7

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Cynthia Nava

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY CHILDREN'S ACCESS TO PROPER NUTRITION.

     WHEREAS, New Mexico's children have one of the highest rates in the United States of food insecurity, which is the inability to consistently access an adequate amount of nutritious food necessary for a healthy life; and

     WHEREAS, the current economic situation has led to increasing rates of food insecure children in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, children who live in families that experience hunger have been shown to be more likely to have lower math scores, face an increased likelihood of repeating a grade and receive more special education services; and

     WHEREAS, collaboration between state agencies and nonprofit entities working on the issues of children's hunger and health is essential to improve the health and well-being of New Mexico's children who are food insecure; and

     WHEREAS, the student nutrition task force established in 2009 by the public education department has been extremely effective at bringing stakeholders together to make positive policy change on behalf of New Mexico's food insecure children, and the work of the task force should continue;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the public education department be requested to continue the work of the student nutrition task force by convening a task force no later than June 1, 2011 to study children's hunger and access to nutrition in New Mexico's schools; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be composed of eleven members as follows: two representatives from the public education department appointed by the secretary of public education, including at least one representative from the student nutrition bureau of the program support and student transportation division of the public education department; one representative from the department of health, appointed by the secretary of health; two representatives from the human services department, appointed by the secretary of human services; two representatives from the children, youth and families department, appointed by the secretary of children, youth and families; and one representative each from the New Mexico school superintendent association, the New Mexico school boards association, farm to table and New Mexico appleseed, all appointed by the governor; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force study and monitor the mechanisms for distributing state, federal and private funding for school programs aimed at reducing child hunger, the mechanisms for prioritizing prospective uses for the money, the programs in place to provide hunger assistance through the public schools of New Mexico, the procedures for ensuring the appropriateness and effectiveness of the expenditures and strategies to ensure the money is invested in a manner that provides the most services to the children of New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force pursue legislation establishing the task force as a permanent entity; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report its findings to the appropriate interim legislative committees and to the governor no later than December 1, 2011; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of public education, the secretary of health, the secretary of human services, the secretary of children, youth and families, the governor, the New Mexico school superintendent association, the New Mexico school boards association, farm to table and New Mexico appleseed.