HB 1669 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, providing for free-play recess.

PRINTER'S NO.     2034

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1669
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY BRIGGS, SANCHEZ, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, HILL-EVANS, KHAN,
        KENYATTA, GIRAL, RABB, BURGOS, PIELLI, WAXMAN, HOWARD,
        FREEMAN, WARREN, STEELE, CERRATO, GREEN, ABNEY, BOROWSKI,
        McNEILL, SALISBURY, GAYDOS AND COOPER, JUNE 25, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 25, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
 2      act relating to the public school system, including certain
 3      provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
 4      schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
 5      laws relating thereto," in terms and courses of study,
 6      providing for free-play recess.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10   as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11   section to read:
12      Section 1512.2.    Free-Play Recess.--(a)   Each school board
13   shall provide at least thirty minutes of supervised, safe and
14   unstructured free-play recess each day for each student in
15   kindergarten through grade five, subject to the following:
16      (1)   Students shall not be permitted to replace free-play
17   recess with additional coursework or instruction unless
18   requested by the student.
19      (2)   Free-play recess shall not be withheld, in whole or
 1   part, for punitive reasons or as a make-up period for missed
 2   work, extra credit or testing.
 3      (3)   School entities shall direct free-play recess to take
 4   place outside as weather, facilities and other circumstances
 5   allow.
 6      (b)   Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit
 7   school entity staff from denying recess for a student on the
 8   advice of a medical professional or school nurse or based on the
 9   provisions of a student's individualized education program under
10   the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Public Law 91-
11   230, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.) or 29 U.S.C. § 794 (relating to
12   nondiscrimination under Federal grants and programs).
13      (c)   As used in this section, the following words and phrases
14   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
15   the context clearly indicates otherwise:
16      "Free-play recess" means a period of time during the regular
17   school day, exclusive of time provided for meals, during which a
18   student is given a break from structured classroom instruction
19   and an opportunity to engage in physical activity, unstructured
20   play or social interaction with other pupils. The term does not
21   include a period of physical education under section 1512.1.
22      "School entity" means a school district, intermediate unit,
23   area career and technical school, charter school, regional
24   charter school or cyber charter school.
25      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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