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ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 1493 By: Rosecrants, Boles, Deck,
Hildebrant, and Roe of the
House
and
Stanley of the Senate
An Act relating to schools; creating the Growing
Minds, Active Kids Act; declaring legislative intent;
providing definitions; requiring school districts to
incorporate thirty minutes of daily recess for
certain grades; recommending thirty minutes of daily
recess for certain grades; establishing daily recess
requirements; specifying compliance for students with
disabilities; providing an exemption; and providing
for codification.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 11 -103.9c of Title 70, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Growing
Minds, Active Kids Act".
B. It is the intention of the Oklahoma State Legislature
through this act to focus on daily recess as essen tial for students
as it provides a necessary break from academic work, allowing
students to recharge both mentally and physically. Physical
activity during recess helps improve focus, reduce stress, and
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support overall physical health. It also encourages social
interaction where children learn important skills like teamwork,
conflict resolution, and communication. By giving students adequate
time to play and unwind, recess fosters better behavior in the
classroom and enhances students' ability to concent rate and learn
effectively.
C. As used in this se ction:
1. "Daily recess" means a scheduled break or breaks during the
school day that will allow students to engage in unstructured free
play or physical activity;
2. "District board of education" means t he governing board of
each school district in Oklahoma; and
3. "Physical activity" means any bodily movement that uses
energy and is produced by skeletal muscles.
D. School districts shall incorporate physical activity into
the school day by providing at least thirty (30) minutes for daily
recess to students in full-day prekindergarten, kindergarten, and
grades one through five. For grades six through eight, at least
thirty (30) minutes for daily recess is strongly recommended. Each
district board of ed ucation shall establish the timing of the daily
recess. The daily recess required by this subsection may be broken
up into segments that best fit the schedules of each school
district.
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1. The daily recess provided for in this subsection shall be in
addition to the weekly sixty (60) minute physical educa tion
requirements set forth in subsections B and C of Section 11 -103.9 of
Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
2. The daily recess shall occur outside the school building
unless weather or other conditions r equire it to occur inside.
3. For students with disabilities, the daily recess shall
comply with the individualized education program (IEP) or Section
504 plan of the student.
4. Virtual charter schools shall be exempt from the
requirements of this subsection.
Passed the House of Representatives the 12th day of March, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the ____ day of __________, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the Senate