One of the most interesting parts of my job as research director of the DLCC is watching the appearance of state legislation on issues that were previously not on the state legislative agenda in earlier sessions. When California passed innovative, landmark legislation in 2006 on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, many other states began emulating this legislation in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

One relatively recent emerging issue is in the area of health care. We all know about the unfortunate reputation of the United States as being a nation of overweight adults. But, increasingly both the news and state legislative agendas have focused on the equally -– if not more -– startling figures on overweight children.

On the Thursday, July 10, editorial page of the New York Times, the newspaper’s editors expressed shock at the recent recommendation issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics that some children as young as 8 years old should be taking cholesterol-reducing statin drugs because of the poor nutrition and exercise habits of many of America’s children.

The Department of Human Services’ Center for Disease Control and Prevention has a wonderful “Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity State Legislative Database” website that allows one to search a database of state legislation to improve children’s health. One can search topics such as physical education legislation across all states over numerous years. According to the site, 52 bills on children’s physical education were introduced in 2008 in state legislatures across the nation.

While Democrats have always been the leaders on traditional healthcare issues such as expanding children’s health insurance, we are now adding innovative exercise and nutrition legislation to our list of accomplishments on behalf of American children. We see Democrats taking the lead on this children’s health issue across the country—including states like Oregon, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Maryland.

In OREGON, Democrats are tackling the nutrition issue. On the Oregon House Democrats website, you can read about an innovative nutrition program known as farm-to-table or farm-to-school. HB 3601 establishes the Oregon Farm-to-School and School Garden Program to promote nutrition education and wellness in Oregon’s schools. It was signed by the governor on March 11.

In OKLAHOMA, Democratic Senator Mary Easley was a sponsor of SB 1186, which doubles the requirement for physical activity from 60 minutes to 120 minutes a week. The bill was signed by the governor on May 5.

In VIRGINIA, Democratic Senator Janet Howell introduced SB 61 -- a bill that requires the Department of Education to develop a database of best practices for nutrition and physical education. The bill was signed by the governor on March 5.

In MARYLAND, Democratic Senator David Harrington authored SB 955, to study tougher physical education requirements for K-12 to reduce childhood obesity. The governor signed this bill on May 13.

Because of the need for both better nutrition and increased physical activity in combating high cholesterol at all ages, these laws represent a key step towards improving children’s health.