NY State Senate Bill 2021-S1044

Senate Bill S1044

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Relates to requiring school districts to post wellness policies on the school districts' website and requiring recess time for elementary school students

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to education
Jan 06, 2021	referred to education

2021-S1044 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §817, Ed L
Versions Introduced in 2019-2020 Legislative Session:: S7084

2021-S1044 (ACTIVE) - Summary

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.

2021-S1044 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S1044

SPONSOR: RAMOS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

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 elementary
school students

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to codify the Department of Education's
policy to help youth get the 60 minutes of daily physical activity that
the US Department of Health and Human Services recommends.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Legislative intent: The legislature finds that students at
the elementary level must have the opportunity to participate in daily
recess to promote lifelong health.

Section 2: The education law is amended by adding a new section 817 to
read: Each school district shall post the school district's current
wellness policy on the school district's website. Each school district
wellness policy shall include the total number of minutes of recess each
day for students in kindergarten through fifth grade; provided, however,
that such policy shall provide for at least twenty minutes of recess
time dedicated for physical activity on all or most days of the school
year and that such recess time shall not also be used as meal time.

Section 3: Sets effective date.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Recess promotes health and fitness during adolescence, which reduces
body fat and other risk factors for various health conditions.  Addi-
tionally, regular moderate to vigorous physical activity has brain
health benefits that are fundamental for the success of school-aged
children. We have received reports from students, parents, and faculty
that schools have punished children by taking away recess time.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date
upon which it shall have become a law.

2021-S1044 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1044
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 6, 2021
                                ___________
 
 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:
 
   Section  1. Legislative intent. The legislature finds that students at
 the elementary level must have the opportunity to participate  in  daily
 recess  to  promote  lifelong  health.  The  legislature also finds that
 recess promotes health and fitness during adolescence which reduces body
 fat and other risk factors for various health conditions.  Additionally,
 regular moderate to rigorous physical activity has brain health benefits
 that  are fundamental for the success of school aged children. As child-
 hood obesity rates rise, it is important to ensure  that  children  have
 the  time  for  physical  activity.  Insufficient  physical activity and
 excessive calories consumed is well-known as a critical factor for  this
 alarming increase in overweight and obese children, therefore the legis-
 lature  finds  that we must continue to encourage our children to engage
 in physical activity so they can develop a healthy  mind  and  body  and
 promote lifelong health.
   §  2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 817 to read
 as follows:
   § 817. SCHOOL DISTRICT WELLNESS POLICIES; RECESS; WEBSITE. EACH SCHOOL
 DISTRICT SHALL POST THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S CURRENT WELLNESS POLICY ON THE
 SCHOOL DISTRICT'S WEBSITE. EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT  WELLNESS  POLICY  SHALL
 INCLUDE  THE  TOTAL NUMBER OF MINUTES OF RECESS EACH DAY FOR STUDENTS IN
 KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,  THAT  SUCH  POLICY
 SHALL  PROVIDE  FOR AT LEAST TWENTY MINUTES OF RECESS TIME DEDICATED FOR

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05028-01-1

 S. 1044                             2
 
 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON ALL OR MOST DAYS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND  THAT  SUCH
 RECESS TIME SHALL NOT ALSO BE USED AS MEAL TIME.
   §  3.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
 the date upon which it shall have become a law.

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