Bill Text: NY S07084 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relates to requiring school districts to post wellness policies on the school districts' website and requiring certain amounts of recess time for elementary school students.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION [S07084 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S07084-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          7084

                    IN SENATE

                                       (Prefiled)

                                     January 8, 2020
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  RAMOS  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Education

        AN ACT to amend the education  law,  in  relation  to  requiring  school
          districts  to  post wellness policies on the school district's website
          and requiring school districts to adopt a policy on recess for elemen-
          tary school students

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1. Legislative intent. The legislature finds that students at
     2  the elementary level must have the opportunity to participate  in  daily
     3  recess  to  promote  lifelong  health.  The  legislature also finds that
     4  recess promotes health and fitness during adolescence which reduces body
     5  fat and other risk factors for various health conditions.  Additionally,
     6  regular moderate to rigorous physical activity has brain health benefits
     7  that  are fundamental for the success of school aged children. As child-
     8  hood obesity rates rise, it is important to ensure  that  children  have
     9  the  time  for  physical  activity.  Insufficient  physical activity and
    10  excessive calories consumed is well-known as a critical factor for  this
    11  alarming increase in overweight and obese children, therefore the legis-
    12  lature  finds  that we must continue to encourage our children to engage
    13  in physical activity so they can develop a healthy  mind  and  body  and
    14  promote lifelong health.
    15    §  2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 817 to read
    16  as follows:
    17    § 817. School district wellness policies; recess; website. Each school
    18  district shall post the school district's current wellness policy on the
    19  school district's website. Each school district  wellness  policy  shall
    20  include  the  total number of minutes of recess each day for students in
    21  kindergarten through fifth grade; provided, however,  that  such  policy
    22  shall  provide  for at least twenty minutes of recess time dedicated for
    23  physical activity on all or most days of the school year and  that  such
    24  recess time shall not also be used as meal time.
    25    §  3.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
    26  the date upon which it shall have become a law.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD14422-01-9