SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1385        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 248

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act to improve quality physical education..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Whereas physical inactivity and poor nutrition are major contributors to the childhood obesity epidemic causing the current generation of youth to have a lower life expectancy than their parents generation;

Whereas childhood obesity has increased 300 percent over the last three decades leading to a dramatic increase in the incidence of heart disease, type II diabetes, and other obesity related diseases among today’s children and adolescents;

Whereas the economic impact of obesity on our health care system is estimated at $129 billion per year and physical activity offers young people many overall health benefits including cardiovascular endurance and maintenance of a healthy weight;

Whereas children who become competent in a wide variety if motor skills are more apt to participate in a physically active lifestyle,

Physical Education shall be a required subject in grades K-12.  Physical Education shall be not less than 150 minutes per week at the elementary level and 225 minutes per week in middle and high school levels.  There shall be no substitution of other instruction or activities for Physical Education. 

Coursework shall be regulated under the National Association for Sport & Physical Education (NASPE) national standards for Physical Education including program and student assessment.  All courses shall be taught by certified Physical Education teachers.