Healthy Communities through Helping to Offer Incentives and Choices to Everyone in Society Act

Summary

Healthy Communities through Helping to Offer Incentives and Choices to Everyone in Society Act - Expands coverage of obesity treatment under titles XVIII (Medicare), including part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program), and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act. Sets forth requirements to expand training of health professionals and the community on treating and preventing obesity. Requires activities to encourage physical activity, including the development of assessment tools on barriers in communities to physical activity, planning and implementing model communities of play that increase physical activity, the development of state and national strategies to encourage Americans to be physically active outdoors, and dissemination of best practices to encourage physical activity outdoors. Sets forth requirements to address physical education in schools, including to: (1) issue guidelines for physical education in elementary and secondary schools; (2) revise the definition of “core academic subject” to include physical education; (3) issue physical activity guidelines for preschool children and recommend that each Head Start agency implement such guidelines; (4) promote healthy, active lifestyles by students within specified educational grant programs; and (5) revise the professional development program for teachers and principals to include training for physical and health education teachers and training on improving students' health habits and participation in physical activities. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from the gross income of employees: (1) the value of any on-premises employer-provided athletic facility; and (2) fees, dues, or membership expenses paid to an athletic or fitness facility by an employer for its employees. Allows employers a tax deduction for fees, dues, or membership expenses paid to an athletic or fitness facility. Allows a medical care tax deduction for qualified sports and fitness expenses. Revives a grant program for the administration of national or regional programs to provide instructional activities on a variety of sports for low-income youth. Expands activities to educate consumers about nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyles and to improve eating and physical habits. Requires the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to award grants to expand, establish, or maintain urban community gardens. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to make grants to assist local planning decisions and policies that increase the access of individuals to physical activity. Establishes a program to award grants for costs related to allowing the use of a school’s facilities and equipment by people other than the school’s students or staff. Authorizes the collection and analysis of data on fitness, activity levels and nutrition.

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Timeline

1. 13 December 2012

   Introduced

   Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Natural Resources, Education and the Workforce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 13 December 2012

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 13 December 2012

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 19 December 2012

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

   Source: Committee

5. 21 December 2012

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee Indian and Alaska Native Affairs.

   Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Introduced in House · 13 December 2012 · Official file

Documents

3 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 13 December 2012

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 13 December 2012

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 13 December 2012

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• RON KIND · D · Sponsor
• · hsii00 · Standing
• · hsif00 · Standing
• · hsag00 · Standing
• · hspw00 · Standing
• · hsed00 · Standing
• · hswm00 · Standing

Related records

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