In 2011, legislation passed which encourages schools to open up their facilities like gymnasiums and tracks to the community as sources of physical activity. This new law clarifies that liability rests with the user not the school system, if the school chooses to open up their facilities after hours a community partner.

In 2011, legislation passed which encourages schools to open up their facilities like gymnasiums and tracks to the community as sources of physical activity. This new law clarifies that liability rests with the user not the school system, if the school chooses to open up their facilities after hours a community partner.

The legislature included $3.5 Million in its FY2011-12 budget for tobacco cessation coverage for TennCare enrollees. This state appropriation coupled with a federal match equals over $10M for a comprehensive smoking cessation program including medication and counseling for Tennessee’s Medicaid recipients.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of advocates, Governor Bill Haslam and the Tennessee General Assembly fully funded Coordinated School Health in its final FY 2011-12 budget. This is a huge win for Tennessee, but we again anticipate having to fight for this funding again next year.

Under this 2011 legislation, a mother is protected when breastfeeding her child in public. Breastfeeding provides a life-long foundation against obesity

Passed in 2011, this new law broadens the requirement that drivers exercise due care to apply to bicyclists. It creates a Class B or Class A misdemeanor, depending on whether the accident results in serious bodily injury or death of another person, when the person causes an accident by failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, fails to exercise due care, or fails to pass a bicycle safely.