PLAINFIELD – By a vote of 117-0, the Illinois House on Tuesday unanimously voted to pass a bill sponsored by House Republican Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) that requires students to participate in daily physical education courses. House Bill 1540, said Cross, addresses the growing rate of obesity among school-aged children, and aims to educate them about the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and including physical activity in their daily routine.

Cross’ bill requires physical education to be part of the regular school curriculum, and for it to provide students with an opportunity for an appropriate amount of daily physical activity. It allows a school board to excuse pupils in grades 9 through 12 from participating in physical education courses if those pupils must utilize that time to receive special education support and services.

“Obesity among our children is increasing at an alarming rate,” said Cross. “It is important for schools to require our students to participate in physical activity on a daily basis, which is necessary to living a longer, healthier life. Although Illinois is the only state in the nation that requires physical education as a part of its elementary and secondary education curriculum, more and more financially struggling schools have sought a waiver to exempt them from the physical education mandate. Although this bill does not directly address school physical education waivers, its intent is to reduce the number of physical education waivers in schools so that they may promote daily physical activity and nutritional awareness.”

House Bill 1540 is supported by the Illinois Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD), Illinois Chapter of the American Heart Association, Illinois Physical Activity Coalition for Kids, Illinois Education Association (IEA), Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), Department of Public Health and Illinois Healthy Schools Campaign.

House Bill 1540 next moves to the Senate for further consideration.