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An Act To Reduce Obesity Rates in Maine
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA c. 276  is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 276
OBESITY
§ 1700-C. Unhealthy weight and obesity; state plan
 
1.  Comprehensive state plan.     The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention shall prepare and implement a comprehensive state plan to reduce rates of unhealthy weight and obesity in the State's adults and children. The state plan must include at a minimum the following:
 
A.  Coordination of the State's efforts within the department to reduce rates of unhealthy weight and obesity, including any programs funded by the Fund for a Healthy Maine pursuant to section 1511, subsection 6, paragraph A-1;
 
B.  Coordination among state departments, including the Department of Education and the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry;
 
C.  Strategies to improve efforts to monitor rates of unhealthy weight and obesity, including a statewide survey of the State's residents relating to food and beverage consumption and time spent engaged in physical exercise; and
 
D.  A media plan to reduce the consumption of beverages the first listed ingredient of which is sugar or corn syrup.
 
2.  Report.     The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention shall submit the comprehensive state plan required in subsection 1, as well as a report on its progress in implementing the plan, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters no later than January 1, 2020 and every 2 years thereafter.
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
 
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention 0143
 
Initiative: Appropriates funds to develop and implement a comprehensive state plan relating to the reduction of unhealthy weight and obesity and to improve surveillance and epidemiology related to obesity.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21	
All Other	$1,400,000	$1,400,000	
			
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$1,400,000	$1,400,000	

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention 0143
 
Initiative: Provides funding for one Obesity Care Coordinator position in the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention to coordinate a comprehensive state plan relating to the reduction of unhealthy weight and obesity.

GENERAL FUND	2019-20	2020-21	
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT	1.000	1.000	
Personal Services	$80,883	$83,769	
All Other	$6,286	$6,286	
			
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$87,169	$90,055	

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF			
DEPARTMENT TOTALS	2019-20	2020-21	
			
GENERAL FUND	$1,487,169	$1,490,055	
			
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$1,487,169	$1,490,055	

SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention to develop a comprehensive state plan relating to the reduction of unhealthy weight and obesity. The plan must include coordination of activities within the Department of Health and Human Services and among state departments, efforts to monitor rates of unhealthy weight and obesity, including a survey of food and drink consumption and physical exercise, and a media plan to reduce the consumption of sugary drinks. The department is required to submit the plan to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters no later than January 1, 2020 and every 2 years thereafter. The bill also includes a position within the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, or contracted for by the department, as a coordinator of the state plan. The bill also appropriates funds to develop and implement the plan, to improve surveillance and epidemiology related to obesity and to fund one Obesity Care Coordinator position in the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.