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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to physical activity requirements for students in public |
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schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.002(l), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(l) A school district shall require a student enrolled in |
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kindergarten or a grade level below grade six to participate in |
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moderate or vigorous daily physical activity for at least 30 |
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minutes throughout the school year as part of the district's |
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physical education curriculum or through structured activity |
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during a school campus's daily recess. A school district shall |
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require a student [students] enrolled in grade level [levels] six, |
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seven, or [and] eight to participate in moderate or vigorous daily |
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physical activity for at least 30 minutes throughout the school |
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year [for at least four semesters during those grade levels] as part |
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of the district's physical education curriculum. If a school |
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district determines, for any particular grade level below grade |
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six, that requiring moderate or vigorous daily physical activity is |
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impractical due to scheduling concerns or other factors, the |
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district may as an alternative require a student in that grade level |
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to participate in moderate or vigorous physical activity for at |
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least 135 minutes during each school week. Additionally, a school |
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district may as an alternative require a student enrolled in a grade |
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level for which the district uses block scheduling to participate |
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in moderate or vigorous physical activity for at least 225 minutes |
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during each period of two school weeks. A school district must |
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provide for an exemption for: |
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(1) any student who is unable to participate in the |
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required physical activity because of illness or disability; and |
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(2) a middle school or junior high school student who |
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participates in an extracurricular activity with a moderate or |
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vigorous physical activity component that is considered a |
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structured activity under rules adopted by the commissioner. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |