A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION continuing the Make America Healthy Again Kentucky Task Force to explore ways to integrate the principles…

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UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 2417 Page 1 of 5 XXXX 3/25/2026 12:49 PM Jacketed A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION continuing the Make America Healthy Again1 Kentucky Task Force to explore ways to integrate the principles of the Make America2 Healthy Again movement to improve health outcomes of Kentuckians.3 WHEREAS, improving public health and reducing the prevalence of chronic4 diseases are critical to the health and well-being of Kentucky citizens and to the state's5 prosperity; and6 WHEREAS, the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement promotes7 health freedom by allowing individuals to make informed choices about their health care;8 and9 WHEREAS, the MAHA movement supports reducing the prevalence of chronic10 diseases by improving lifestyle and dietary choices; and11 WHEREAS, there is strong evidence that poor diet and lack of exercise contribute12 to the high rates of chronic diseases in Kentucky; and13 WHEREAS, approximately 74 percent of adults in the United States are overweight14 or obese; and15 WHEREAS, Kentucky has one of the highest adult obesity rates compared to other16 states, with approximately 30 percent of adults classified as obese; and17 WHEREAS, Kentucky has a childhood obesity rate of approximately 20 percent for18 children between the ages of 10 and 17 years old; and19 WHEREAS, in 2023, the leading cause of death in Kentucky was heart disease,20 with an age-adjusted death rate of 197.1 per 100,000 residents, and as much as 80 percent21 of heart disease and stroke is preventable with lifestyle changes; and22 WHEREAS, the MAHA movement advocates for increasing public access to23 nutritious and unprocessed foods to promote a diet that supports good health; and24 WHEREAS, the MAHA movement advocates for minimizing population exposure25 to environmental toxins and pollutants that contribute to respiratory diseases, heart26 disease, and other chronic conditions; and27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 2417 Page 2 of 5 XXXX 3/25/2026 12:49 PM Jacketed WHEREAS, the MAHA movement calls for transparent, science-based health1 policies and recommendations that are in the best interest of the public and are free from2 undue corporate influence;3

NOW, THEREFORE,4 Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of5 Kentucky, the House of Representatives concurring therein:6 Section 1. The General Assembly supports the goals of the Make America7 Healthy Again movement, and in doing so:8 (1) Supports policies that increase access to clean, whole foods across Kentucky9 to enhance nutrition and reduce diet-related diseases;10 (2) Encourages access to local, fresh produce in schools, communities, and11 markets through initiatives like farmers' markets and farm-to-school programs;12 (3) Encourages public health efforts to educate Kentuckians on healthy living,13 good nutrition, and chronic disease prevention;14 (4) Urges state and local health agencies to collaborate with schools and15 community organizations to expand public health programs that focus on empowering16 individuals and families with knowledge on how to manage their own health through17 good nutrition, regular physical activity, and avoidance of harmful substances;18 (5) Urges legislative and regulatory updates to align agricultural and health19 policies, including:20 (a) Creating incentives for the production and consumption of nutritious foods in21 Kentucky;22 (b) Encouraging Kentuckians to make healthy food choices, including reducing23 reliance on highly processed, high sugar products, through education and policy24 incentives; and25 (c) Addressing environmental health risks to improve overall public health26 outcomes;27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 2417 Page 3 of 5 XXXX 3/25/2026 12:49 PM Jacketed (6) Recognizes the role of immunity as a factor in public health policy alongside1 other preventive measures; and2 (7) Encourages state health officials to consider evidence of immunity from prior3 illness as part of broader health guidelines and emergency response plans.4 Section 2. (1) The Legislative Research Commission shall establish the5 Make America Healthy Again Kentucky Task Force.6 (2) The duties of the task force shall include but are not limited to:7 (a) Exploring ways that Kentucky can integrate the MAHA movement principles8 into state laws, policies, and programs to improve the overall health of Kentuckians,9 including the "Take Back Your Health" and "Eat Real Food" initiatives;10 (b) Reviewing strategies that Kentucky may use to improve health outcomes11 through:12 1. Encouraging dietary and lifestyle changes;13 2. Expanding public awareness efforts on healthy nutrition and lifestyles;14 3. Reducing public exposure to environmental toxins; and15 4. Increasing public awareness and input into state health policies; and16 (c) Building on recommendations from the 2025 Make America Healthy Again17 Kentucky Task Force relating to:18 1. Healthy food initiatives including:19 a. The Food is Medicine collaboration of the Kentucky Department of20 Agriculture and the Kentucky Hospital Association;21 b. The purchase of healthy foods with Supplemental Nutritional Assistance22 Program (SNAP) dollars and the connections between SNAP and the Medicaid program;23 c. Improvement of healthy meals and nutrition education in schools; and24 d. Increased access to foods that are not ultra-processed;25 2. Physical health and wellness including:26 a. Strengthening of school physical education requirements;27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 2417 Page 4 of 5 XXXX 3/25/2026 12:49 PM Jacketed b. Improving local school wellness policies; and1 c. Strengthening efforts to improve the overall health of Kentuckians; and2 3. Functional medicine including:3 a. Increasing health care provider education on integrating nutrition and diet4 strategies for improving health outcomes for chronic disease;5 b. Improving health insurance coverage of functional medicine programs; and6 c. Encouraging the integration of functional medicine principles in preventative7 health initiatives.8 Section 3. The Make America Healthy Again Kentucky Task Force shall be9 composed of the following members with final membership of the task force being10 subject to the consideration and approval of the Legislative Research Commission:11 (1) Three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of12 the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be designated by the Speaker of the13 House of Representatives as a co-chair of the task force;14 (2) Three members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one of15 whom shall be designated by the President of the Senate as a co-chair of the task force;16 (3) One member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Floor17 Leader of the House; and18 (4) One member of the Senate appointed by the Minority Floor Leader of the19 Senate.20 Section 4. The Make America Healthy Again Kentucky Task Force shall at a21 minimum meet monthly during the 2026 Interim of the General Assembly and shall22 submit recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislative Research Commission23 for referral to the Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children by December 1,24 2026.25 Section 5. Provisions of this Resolution to the contrary notwithstanding, the26 Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority to alternatively assign the27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 2417 Page 5 of 5 XXXX 3/25/2026 12:49 PM Jacketed issues identified herein to an interim joint committee or subcommittee thereof, and to1 designate a study completion date.2 Section 6. The Clerk of the Senate is directed to transmit a copy of this3 Resolution to the Governor, each member of Kentucky’s Congressional delegation, and4 the secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, the Commissioner of the5 Kentucky Department of Agriculture, and the commissioner of the Kentucky Department6 of Education, for review and consideration in advancing the goals of the Make America7 Healthy Again movement to make Kentucky healthy again.8

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