| Isadore Hall on Health |
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Assemblyman Isadore Hall has repeatedly demonstrated intense interest in improving health for all Californians, particularly addressing the challenges of childhood obesity and its associated chronic diseases. In February, Hall authored and introduced, AB 426 - to help the legislature find ways to address specific health-related needs of pupils at school, such as diabetes, asthma, and obesity-related diseases.
Hall serves on the Assembly Committee on Health, and as chair of the Select Committee on Child/Adolescent Health and Safety, he is holding an ongoing series of hearings on what can be done in the schools and throughout the state to combat the epidemic of diabetes which has escalated so rapidly in recent years. 
Sedentary lifestyle is one of the chief culprits in the rise of both obesity and diabetes. Thirty years ago, 60% of children living within a 2-mile radius of a school walked or bicycled to school. Today, that number has dropped to less than 15%. Thirty years ago, 5% of children between the ages of 6 and 11 were considered to be overweight or obese. Today, that number has climbed to 20%. These statistics point to the dangerous rise in preventable childhood diseases, as well as missed opportunities for children to engage in important physical activity.
In August 2009, Hall announced the award of a Caltrans grant to improve student health and safety at two schools in South Los Angeles. This grant is part of over $48.5 million that Caltrans has awarded to 106 Safe Routes to School projects throughout California. Safe Routes to School is designed to increase the number of children who walk or bicycle to school by improving the infrastructure around school campuses and developing education and encouragement programs to promote walking and bicycling. “We should all be doing more to make our neighborhoods safer, more walk-able and to encourage students to lead healthier lives,” said Assemblyman Hall. “This grant is a vital step towards making important improvements, helping students, parents, teachers and neighbors lead healthier lives and reverse the growing trends of obesity and diabetes in our communities.” Aware than a healthful diet is equally important with exercise in maintaining wellness, Hall promotes a healthier diet for everyone. He has authored legislation, AB1488, which advocates access to fresh and nutritious foods as a basic human right and urges that opportunities for urban farm stands, farmers' markets and direct farmer to consumer marketing activities should be actively pursued. One of Hall’s first acts on becoming an Assembly member was to author and introduce resolution ACR 2 - encouraging the University of California to expedite negotiations with the Board of Supervisors of Los Angeles County and other parties, to hasten the reopening of Martin Luther King, Jr. Hospital. Closed since August 2007, this hospital is in one of the most underserved areas of California, where 1.6 million people currently have no public hospital. He later also authored AB 1303, to establish a working group to facilitate the reopening of this hospital.  |
