An Act To Reduce Obesity Rates in Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0463
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: PIERCE, SANBORN, BAILEY, FECTEAU, HYMANSON, MARTIN, MASTRACCIO, SHARPE

Legislative Document
No. 463
H.P. 347
House of Representatives, January 29, 2019
An Act To Reduce Obesity Rates in Maine
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative PIERCE of Falmouth.
Cosponsored by Senator SANBORN, L. of Cumberland and
Representatives: BAILEY of Saco, FECTEAU of Biddeford, HYMANSON of York, 
MARTIN of Sinclair, MASTRACCIO of Sanford, McCREA of Fort Fairfield, McLEAN of 
Gorham, SHARPE of Durham.
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.
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.
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