BILL NUMBER: SJR 5	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Cannella
   (Principal coauthors: Senators Rubio, Vargas, and Walters)
   (Principal coauthors: Assembly Members Hall, Ma, John A. Pérez,
and Valadao)

                        APRIL 15, 2011

   Relative to Cooking With Kids Day..


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SJR 5, as introduced, Cannella. Cooking With Kids Day.
   This measure would designate every Sunday as Cooking With Kids Day
and would memorialize to Congress and the President of the United
States to act likewise and adopt a resolution to encourage families
across the country to pledge to cook healthy meals with their kids at
least once a week and to adopt policies to help improve access to
affordable and healthy food and beverages.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, The Legislature unanimously passed SCR 94 of the 2008
Regular Session proclaiming the second Saturday in May as "Cook With
Your Kids Day" to encourage parents, caregivers, and children to
spend time in the kitchen together and prepare a healthy meal, commit
to new healthy habits, make healthy food choices, and set achievable
goals for their family in an effort to create healthy habits from
childhood and fight childhood obesity; and
   WHEREAS, Our children are California's most precious and joyful
responsibility, and we are obligated to do all we can to make the
good health of our children our number one goal; and
   WHEREAS, Childhood obesity is considered by many to be an epidemic
in western countries, where now one out of every three children is
considered overweight or obese; and
   WHEREAS, Local, state, and federal governments recognize the
tremendous health risk to our children and the added burden to our
health care costs in this country from obesity and are now taking an
active role in fighting childhood obesity through new programs,
including improved nutrition education and access to healthier school
lunches; and
   WHEREAS, The President of the United States signed a memorandum on
February 9, 2010, creating a new interagency task force that
included 12 federal agencies to address the problem of childhood
obesity in the United States; and
   WHEREAS, The President's task force identified 70 specific
recommendations, many of which can or have been implemented
immediately. The report broadly summarizes the task force
recommendations, including getting children a healthy start in life
with good prenatal care, providing healthy food in schools, improving
access to healthy food in schools, and getting children more
physically active; and
   WHEREAS, Children have historically led their parents when
embarking on a culture change. Children often learn skills and
disciplines and reinforce new behaviors in the family dynamic, for
instance, helping to teach their parents how to do a better job
recycling and to understand new technologies, such as social
networking; and
   WHEREAS, Children are more likely to eat healthier when they are
involved in their food choices and their food preparation; and
   WHEREAS, Children who help their parents plan a meal, shop for the
groceries, and prepare the food they buy, are empowered to make
healthier food choices; and
   WHEREAS, Children who are connected to the food supply at a young
age become more conscious consumers as adults; and
   WHEREAS, New venues such as the Food Network and network
television have introduced adults and children to fun, healthy ways
to enjoy family time together while creating healthy meals. These new
venues and their celebrity chefs are leading families in a culture
change in our relationship with food; and
   WHEREAS, Nongovernmental foundations, such as "Cooking With Kids,"
also known as CWK, are helping kids learn skills to not only make
healthy food choices, but that will help them stay healthier for a
lifetime and provide possible career paths for their future; now,
therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature recognizes every Sunday, so
long as it does not conflict with personal beliefs, as "Cooking With
Kids Day" in order to encourage parents and children to spend time
in the kitchen together and prepare a healthy meal; and be it further

   Resolved, That the Legislature recognizes the health benefits of
cooking with kids at least one day each week throughout the year and
encourages parents, caregivers, and children to shop together, select
ingredients, and prepare a healthy meal to share together each week;
and be it further
   Resolved, That the State of California respectfully memorializes
the Congress and the President of the United States to act likewise
and adopt a resolution to encourage families across the country to
pledge to cook healthy meals with their kids at least once a week and
to adopt policies to help improve access to affordable and healthy
food and beverages; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the President and the Vice President of the United
States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to each
Senator and representative from California in the Congress of the
United States, and to the author for appropriate distribution.