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Washington Senate Bill 5093 Declares State's Goals for School Nutrition and Physical Activity

On March 13, Governor Christine Gregoire signed Senate Bill 5093. While much of the Bill concerns access to health care for children, two sections (5 & 6) outline the State's goals for school health including nutrition and physical activity.

Effective July 27, 2007, the following laws will be included in the Revised Code of Washington (chapter 28A.210 16):

It is the goal of Washington state to ensure that:

(1) By 2010, all K-12 districts have school health advisory committees that advise school administration and school board members on policies, environmental changes, and programs needed to support healthy food choice and physical activity and childhood fitness. Districts shall include school nurses or other school personnel as advisory committee members.

(2) By 2010, only healthy food and beverages provided by schools during school hours or for school-sponsored activities shall be available on school campuses. (See full text of Bill for minimum standards)

(3) By 2010, all students in grades one through eight should have at least one hundred fifty minutes of quality physical education every week.

(4) By 2010, all student health and fitness instruction shall be conducted by appropriately certified instructors.

(5) Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, any district waiver or exemption policy from physical education requirements for high school students should be based upon meeting both health and fitness curricula concepts as well as alternative means of engaging in physical activity, but should acknowledge students' interest in pursuing their academic interests.

The law also creates a legislative task force on comprehensive school health reform to review and make recommendations on policies, environmental changes, and programs needed to support healthy schools, including but not limited to food choice, physical activity, and childhood fitness. The task force will also review the delivery of health care services in schools. The task force will submit its findings and recommendations to
the senate and house of representatives by October 1, 2008.

Featured: Spring 2007