HB 190 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in school health services, providing for eating disorder awareness and education.

PRINTER'S NO.   137

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 190
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY ORTITAY, FREEMAN, REICHARD, CIRESI AND GREEN,
        JANUARY 16, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 16, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
 2      act relating to the public school system, including certain
 3      provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
 4      schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
 5      laws relating thereto," in school health services, providing
 6      for eating disorder awareness and education.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10   as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11   section to read:
12      Section 1426.    Eating Disorder Awareness and Education.--(a)
13   A school entity shall annually provide information regarding
14   eating disorder awareness and education for pupils in grades six
15   through twelve to parents, guardians and key school personnel.
16   The information shall be consistent with the educational
17   information and materials and recommendations established under
18   this section.
19      (b)   A school entity shall provide the educational
20   information and materials to parents, guardians and key school
 1   personnel annually via email, first class mail or on the school
 2   entity's publicly accessible Internet website.
 3      (c)   The department, in conjunction with the Department of
 4   Health, shall develop educational information and materials and
 5   make recommendations for providing information regarding eating
 6   disorder awareness and education to parents, guardians and key
 7   school personnel.
 8      (d)   The educational information and materials and
 9   recommendations shall:
10      (1)   Be developed with input from the Eating Disorders
11   Advisory Committee established under this section.
12      (2)   Be posted on the department's publicly accessible
13   Internet website in a variety of languages for dissemination to
14   parents, guardians and key school personnel by school entities.
15      (3)   Explain the importance of eating disorder prevention
16   education and resources for school entities and key school
17   personnel.
18      (4)   List the warning signs, risk factors and resources about
19   eating disorders.
20      (e)   The secretary shall establish the Eating Disorders
21   Advisory Committee to offer recommendations to the department
22   and the Department of Health concerning eating disorder
23   awareness and education, including the types and warning signs
24   of eating disorders, weight and body image disorder, excessive
25   compulsive exercise and orthorexia nervosa.
26      (f)   The secretary shall appoint members to the Eating
27   Disorders Advisory Committee from specialized organizations and
28   entities, including the Pennsylvania School Boards Association,
29   the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators, the
30   National Alliance for Eating Disorders, the Pennsylvania

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 1   Association of School Nurses and Practitioners, the Pennsylvania
 2   Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Pennsylvania
 3   Academy of Family Physicians, the International Association of
 4   Eating Disorders Professionals Foundation and the Academy for
 5   Eating Disorders.
 6      (g)     Members of the Eating Disorders Advisory Committee shall
 7   serve without compensation.
 8      (h)     During the first year after the establishment of the
 9   Eating Disorders Advisory Committee, the committee shall meet at
10   least two times per school year at the call of the secretary or
11   the secretary's designee, who shall serve as chairperson. The
12   first meeting of the committee shall occur within sixty (60)
13   days of the effective date of this section.
14      (i)     During subsequent years, the Eating Disorders Advisory
15   Committee shall meet at least one time per school year to
16   reassess the information provided to school entities and to
17   parents.
18      (j)     The department shall make available the educational
19   information and materials and recommendations developed under
20   this section to school entities within one year after the
21   establishment of the Eating Disorders Advisory Committee.
22      (k)     The department, the Department of Health and the Eating
23   Disorders Advisory Committee shall identify and develop
24   appropriate additions or revisions to the Commonwealth's school
25   health regulations and materials related to the development of
26   parent educational information, including guidance regarding the
27   clear delineation of health information from other
28   administrative documentation.
29      (l)     As used in this section, the following words and phrases
30   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless

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 1   the context clearly indicates otherwise:
 2      "Department."     The Department of Education of the
 3   Commonwealth.
 4      "Key school personnel."     Includes school principals, vice
 5   principals, school counselors and school psychologists.
 6      "Nonpublic school."     A school, other than a public school,
 7   within this Commonwealth:
 8      (1)     in which a resident of this Commonwealth may legally
 9   fulfill the compulsory school attendance requirements of this
10   act; and
11      (2)     that meets the requirements of Title VI of the Civil
12   Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. Ch. 21 Subch. V).
13      "School entity."     A school district, area career and
14   technical school, charter school, cyber charter school, regional
15   charter school, intermediate unit or nonpublic school.
16      "Secretary."     The Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth.
17      Section 2.     This act shall take effect in 30 days.




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