By: Allen, Cortez, Beckley, Bowers, Talarico H.B. No. 455
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to policies on the recess period in public schools.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 28.0047 and 28.0048 to read as follows:
         Sec. 28.0047.  MODEL RECESS POLICIES. The Department of
  State Health Services School Health Advisory Committee established
  under Section 1001.0711, Health and Safety Code, shall develop
  model policies for the recess period during the school day that
  encourage constructive, age-appropriate outdoor playtime. The
  model policies must include guidelines for outdoor equipment and
  facilities on public school campuses that maximize the
  effectiveness of outdoor physical activity.
         Sec. 28.0048.  RECESS POLICY. (a)  The board of trustees of
  each school district shall:
               (1)  after reviewing the model recess policies
  developed under Section 28.0047 and the policy recommendations of
  the local school health advisory council provided under Section
  28.004(l), adopt a recess policy based on those model policies and
  recommendations; and
               (2)  review and, if necessary, revise the recess policy
  at least every five years.
         (b)  The recess policy must specify:
               (1)  the required number of minutes of weekly
  unstructured playtime; and
               (2)  whether a student's recess time may be withheld as
  a form of student discipline.
         (c)  Each school district campus subject to the district
  recess policy adopted under Subsection (a) shall implement the
  recess policy.
         SECTION 2.  (a)  Not later than January 1, 2020, the
  Department of State Health Services School Health Advisory
  Committee shall develop model recess policies as required by
  Section 28.0047, Education Code, as added by this Act.
         (b)  Not later than May 1, 2020, the board of trustees of each
  school district shall adopt a recess policy as required by Section
  28.0048, Education Code, as added by this Act.
         (c)  Not later than the beginning of the 2020-2021 school
  year, each school district campus subject to a school district
  recess policy adopted under Section 28.0048, Education Code, as
  added by this Act, shall implement the adopted policy.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2019.