WACO, Texas (KWTX) – Out of the thousands of bills being discussed at the Texas Capitol this session, one lawmaker is pushing to make Texas healthier in different ways, starting in the classroom and ending at the Capitol.
Senate Bill 25, as well as corresponding House Bill 25, aims to reform the nutrition and food guidelines for the state through different ways.
Senator Lois Kolkhorst, the author of Senate Bill 25, represents district 18, which lies between San Antonio and Houston. She wants to make Texans healthy again by tackling what she says are the main health problems today, like diabetes and obesity.
Experts with Baylor Scott and White say the obesity epidemic is a nationwide problem, and Texas is one of the states that has been on the forefront of the issue.
Dr. John Meyers with Baylor Scott and White, a DO certified in Obesity Medicine, says in the 60s the average American walked around 15 thousand steps a day, but today, it’s anywhere from three to four thousand.
“The adult obesity rate has skyrocketed, it has gone from around 12% in 1975 to over 40% today, and children are also struggling with this at the same time, it’s all going in parallel,” Meyers explained.
Kolkhorst describes the bill as four pillars coming together in a collective effort.
The first pillar or part of the bill involves transparent food labeling in the state, clearly marking any additives, chemicals or ingredients banned in other countries that the consumer may not know about.
WEB XTRA: Text of Senate Bill 25
The second part mandates physical activity in public schools across the state.
Through PE or recess students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade have a set number of minutes per week or semester.
For pre-k to 6th, students must participate in at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily, while middle schoolers must complete 30 minutes daily for 6 semesters.
SB 25 would forbid the removal of physical activity for disciplinary reasons as well.
The Texas Education Code requires PE in their curriculum for all public schools, so school districts like Temple ISD make sure all their students are meeting the standard.
“In this day and age with as much screen time as our kids get, as soon as we can get them up and being active and off their phones and off the video games, it’s only going to help them long term health,” explained Steve Prentiss, the Athletic Director for Temple ISD.
The third pillar or part of the bill involves the introduction of a Nutrition Advisory Committee with 7 volunteer members who are appointed by the governor.
Of the seven members, the bill requires an expert in metabolic health, a physician specializing in functional medicine, a member from the Department of Agriculture, and members representing urban and rural communities.
Separate from any food businesses or pharmaceutical companies, these members would offer their expertise in various fields and make recommendations on nutritional guidelines for the state.
“It completely de-links the people on the advisory committee from the food industry and from the pharmaceutical industry,” Kolkhorst explained.
By looking at the link between ultra processed foods and chronic illnesses, Kolkhorst says that the committee will be able to help guide the state on making the healthiest choices for Texans without having any bias from food or drug companies.
Recommendations from the committee would go into a new state nutrition curriculum, the final pillar or part of the bill that encourages healthy choices, starting in schools.
The advisory committee, according to Kolkhorst, will be tasked with coming “up with a Texas centric nutrition guideline that then could be recommended into these curriculums.”
The nutrition curriculum would be incorporated in public schools and colleges, as well as nursing and medical schools and programs.
McLennan Community College says they already prioritize their student’s health through easy access to fresh options, like a food pantry and cafe for students on campus.
While they already have required nutrition classes for their health majors to take, SB 25 could allow them to open nutrition courses for any student willing to learn, according to Chad Eggleston, the Vice President of Instruction and Student Engagement for MCC
“If it’s going to help students, it’s something we will be very eager to do, so it could entail adding a course and it could entail something as simple as a module or orientation something to that effect,” Eggleston said.
SB 25 has already been unanimously passed by the Texas Senate and is expected to reach the House floor in the next coming weeks.
Kolkhorst says while they want to change the food and drug industry’s negative effects on consumers, she hopes the bill will help Texans make healthier choices on their own.
“Empowering the individual to make better choices in their life, to make sure that they understand what it is that they are putting in their bodies so that they don’t have to fight obesity they don’t have to fight all these chronic illnesses which is truly a pandemic in our nation.”
Copyright 2025 KWTX. All rights reserved.