State Rep. Jason Ortitay | Official Website
State Rep. Jason Ortitay | Official Website
The Pennsylvania House has moved forward with legislation proposed by Representative Jason Ortitay, aimed at increasing awareness of eating disorders among children. The bill seeks to address the growing issue of body dissatisfaction and eating disorders, particularly influenced by social media.
Rep. Ortitay highlighted the significance of this initiative, stating, "About 9% of Pennsylvanians will have an eating disorder in their lifetime. Due to social media, body dissatisfaction and eating disorders are growing in teens. Now is the time to act. I’m hopeful the Senate will quickly take up this legislation to raise awareness so that parents are better informed of the warning signs, risk factors and resources available."
The proposed legislation mandates that schools provide educational information about eating disorders annually to parents of students from grades six through twelve. This information can be disseminated via email, first-class mail, or posted on the school district's website.
Having passed in the House, the bill now awaits consideration by the Senate.
The 46th Legislative District represented by Ortitay includes areas such as South Fayette Township and McDonald and Oakdale boroughs in Allegheny County. It also covers Cecil, Chartiers, Mt. Pleasant and North Strabane townships (Districts 6-9), along with Canonsburg, Houston and McDonald boroughs in Washington County.
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