Substitute House Bill No. 7250
Public Act No. 19-173
AN ACT CONCERNING TH E INCLUSION OF ADDIT IONAL TIME
DEVOTED TO UNDIRECTE D PLAY TO THE REGULA R SCHOOL
DAY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 10-221o of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2019):
(a) Each local and regional board of education shall require each
school under its jurisdiction to (1) offer all full day students a daily
lunch period of not less than twenty minutes, and (2) include in the
regular school day for each student enrolled in elementary school time
devoted to physical exercise of not less than twenty minutes in total,
except that a planning and placement team may develop a different
schedule for a child requiring special education and related services in
accordance with chapter 164 and the Individuals With Disabilities
Education Act, 20 USC 1400 et seq., as amended from time to time. In
the event of a conflict with this section and any provision of chapter
164, such other provision of chapter 164 shall be deemed controlling.
Nothing in this subsection shall prevent a local or regional board of
education from including an additional amount of time, beyond the
twenty minutes required for physical exercise, devoted to undirected
play during the regular school day for each student enrolled in Substitute House Bill No. 7250
Public Act No. 19-173 2 of 4
elementary school.
(b) Not later than October 1, [2013] 2019, each local and regional
board of education shall adopt a policy, as the board deems
appropriate, concerning the issue regarding any school employee
being involved in preventing a student from participating in the entire
time devoted to physical exercise or undirected play in the regular
school day, pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, as a form of
discipline. For purposes of this section, "school employee" means (1) a
teacher, substitute teacher, school administrator, school
superintendent, guidance counselor, school counselor, psychologist,
social worker, nurse, physician, school paraprofessional or coach
employed by a local or regional board of education or working in a
public elementary, middle or high school; or (2) any other individual
who, in the performance of his or her duties, has regular contact with
students and who provides services to or on behalf of students
enrolled in a public elementary, middle or high school, pursuant to a
contract with the local or regional board of education.
Sec. 2. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to
study the issues relating to and the feasibility of including time
devoted to undirected play during the regular school day in public
elementary schools.
(b) The task force shall consist of the following members:
(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives,
one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Association of
Boards of Education and one of whom is the parent or guardian of a
student enrolled in a public school;
(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one
of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Education Association
and one of whom is the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in a Substitute House Bill No. 7250
Public Act No. 19-173 3 of 4
public school;
(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of
Representatives, who is a representative of the American Federation of
Teachers-Connecticut;
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who is a
representative of the Connecticut Association of Public School
Superintendents;
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of
Representatives, who is a representative of the Connecticut
Association of School Administrators;
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who is a
representative of the Connecticut Association of Schools; and
(7) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee.
(c) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivision (1),
(2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member
of the General Assembly.
(d) All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than
thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be
filled by the appointing authority.
(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president
pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force
from among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall
schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not
later than sixty days after the effective date of this section.
(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education
shall serve as administrative staff of the task force. Substitute House Bill No. 7250
Public Act No. 19-173 4 of 4
(g) Not later than January 1, 2020, the task force shall submit a
report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
relating to education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-
4a of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date
that it submits such report or January 1, 2020, whichever is later.