I 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2730 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 4, 2009 Mrs. McCarthy of New York (for herself, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Moore of Kansas, Mr. Crenshaw, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. McMahon, Mr. Bishop of New York, and Mr. McGovern) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to eligible States for the purpose of reducing the student-to-school nurse ratio in public secondary schools, elementary schools, and kindergarten.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Student-to-School Nurse Ratio Improvement Act of 2009.

2.

Reducing student-to-school nurse ratios

Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: J

School nurses

861.

Reducing student-to-school nurse ratios

(a)

Demonstration grants

The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may make demonstration grants to eligible States for the purpose of reducing the student-to-school nurse ratio in public secondary schools, elementary schools, and kindergarten. (b)

Report

Not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report on the results of the demonstration grant program carried out under this section, including an evaluation of the effectiveness of the program in improving the student-to-school nurse ratios described in subsection (a) and an evaluation of the impact of any resulting enhanced health of students on learning. (c)

Definitions

For purposes of this section: (1)The terms elementary school and secondary school have the meanings given to those terms in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. (2)The term eligible State means a State in which the student-to-school nurse ratio in public secondary schools, elementary schools, and kindergarten is 1,000 or more students to every school nurse. (3)The term nurse means a licensed nurse. (d)

Authorization of appropriations

To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2010 through 2014.

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