HB 1493 Oklahoma House · 2026 Regular Session

Schools; the Growing Minds, Active Kids Act; requiring school districts to incorporate thirty minutes of daily recess for certain grades.

HB 1493, the "Growing Minds, Active Kids Act," requires Oklahoma public school districts to provide at least 30 minutes of daily recess for students in prekindergarten through grade 5. This recess must occur outdoors when possible and is separate from existing physical education requirements. The bill also recommends 30 minutes of daily recess for grades 6-8 but does not mandate it, while requiring compliance with students' individualized education plans (IEPs) and exempting virtual charter schools from the rule. The law aims to support student well-being through structured playtime during the school day.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Last action Apr 1, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

House Committee Substitute → Floor (House) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was converted from a House Committee Substitute version to the Floor version, adding the House of Representatives header and changing page numbering and formatting. The substantive policy content regarding daily recess requirements for students remains unchanged.

Scope change

No substantive change to the bill's scope or applicability; only formatting and header updates were made.

TECHNICAL

Header changed from 'STATE OF OKLAHOMA' to 'HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION'

Page numbering and footer formatting updated to reflect floor version

Committee Substitute designation retained with updated page references

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 → House Committee Substitute · 8 edits

MODERATE

The House Committee Substitute replaced the original Proposed Policy Committee Substitute version of HB 1493 with a completely rewritten bill. The new version maintains the core requirement for daily recess in elementary schools but adds clarifying language about physical activity benefits, expands definitions, and includes a codification provision. The substantive policy requirements remain largely the same, though the text was significantly reorganized and expanded.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on requiring daily recess for students in prekindergarten through fifth grade, with a strong recommendation for grades six through eight. The applicability to virtual charter schools remains exempt, and accommodations for students with disabilities are preserved.

TECHNICAL

The document header was changed from 'PROPOSED POLICY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE' to 'COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE', indicating the bill moved from the policy committee to the House committee for further consideration.

Added a codification provision specifying the bill should be codified as Section 11-103.9c of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, unless numbering duplication occurs.

The document's tracking number was updated from Req. No. 12259 to Req. No. 12978, and the date was updated from 01/27/25 to 02/26/25.

DEFINITION

New definitions were added clarifying 'daily recess' as unstructured free play or physical activity, and 'physical activity' as bodily movement using skeletal muscles.

REQUIREMENT

Added language explaining the legislative intent behind the recess requirement, emphasizing mental and physical health benefits, stress reduction, and improved classroom behavior.

The recess requirement language was reorganized to clearly distinguish between mandatory 30 minutes for prekindergarten through fifth grade and a strong recommendation for grades six through eight.

Added clarification that daily recess occurs outside the school building unless weather or other conditions require it to occur inside.

Added clarification that daily recess is in addition to the existing 60-minute weekly physical education requirements.

Floor votes · House Mar 12, 2025

How they voted

75–11

Passed · 14 other

Total votes 100

Mar 12, 2025

D Democratic19

16 Yea 3

84% Yea

R Republican81

59 Yea 11 Nay 11

72% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 13, 2025

Introduced

First Reading

upper

Mar 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

Engrossed, signed, to Senate

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Committee

Referred for engrossment

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading, Measure passed and Emergency failed: Ayes: 73 Nays: 12; Ayes: 41 Nays: 42

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

CR; Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Education Oversight Committee

lower

Feb 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Policy recommendation to the Education Oversight committee; Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Common Education

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to Common Education

lower

Feb 3, 2025

Introduced

First Reading

lower

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors