schools; nutrition education; physical activity

HB2840 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
schools; nutrition education; physical activity

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2840

Introduced by

Representatives
Biasiucci: Carter P, Fink, Martinez, Rivero;� Senator Fernandez

AN
ACT

AMENDING TITLE 15, CHAPTER 7, ARTICLE 1,
ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING SECTIONs 15 701.05 and 15-701.06;
RELATING TO SCHOOL CURRICULA.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 15, chapter 7, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding sections 15-701.05 and
15-701.06, to read:

START_STATUTE
15-701.05.

Nutrition education instruction; requirements; definitions

A. Each school district and charter
school shall annually provide a minimum number of hours of instruction in nutrition
education to students in kindergarten programs and each of grades one through
twelve. Each school district and charter school may incorporate the
nutrition education instruction required by this section into existing
curricula. The nutrition education instruction required by this
section must:

1. Emphasize practical applications
for a healthy lifestyle.

2. Include scientific evidence
relating to each of the following subjects:

(
a
) Diet,
exercise and nutrition.

(
b
) The role of
nutrition in metabolism and cellular function.

(
c
) The role of
nutrition and exercise in preventing nutrition-related chronic diseases.

(
d
) The
biological mechanisms related to diet and the impacts of ultraprocessed food on
those mechanisms.

(
e
) The role of
nutrition and exercise in disease prevention, management and recovery.

(
f
) The
importance of nutrient-dense foods in a diet.

3. Require students to demonstrate
proficiency in meal planning and reading food labels.

B. The state board of education:

1. May develop guidelines to assist
school districts and charter schools in providing the nutrition education
instruction required by this section, consistent with current scientific and
educational standards.

2. Shall prescribe the minimum number
of hours of instruction in nutrition education that school districts and
charter schools must provide to students in each grade level.

C. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Nutrient-dense
food" means a food that is high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein
and that does not have added sugar or saturated fat.

2. "Nutrition-related
chronic disease":

(
a
) Means a
disease that is a long-term health condition and that results from poor
diet and an absence of regular physical exercise.

(
b
) Includes
cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and certain types of cancer.

3. "Scientific evidence"
means credible, systematic evidence that is produced by research, testing, data
from peer-reviewed studies, expert consensus and measurable outcomes.

4. "Ultraprocessed food"
means any food or beverage that contains a high amount of saturated fat,
sodium, added sugar, preservatives or artificial ingredients.
END_STATUTE

START_STATUTE
15-701.06.

Physical activity requirements; exceptions; definition

A. Each school district and charter
school shall require students in kindergarten programs and each of grades one
through twelve to participate in physical activity for at least thirty minutes
during each day of the school week.� A school district or charter school may
offer any of the following to satisfy the physical activity requirement
prescribed by this section:

1. A physical education program that
is designed to teach students physical fitness, teamwork and healthy
lifestyles.

2. Scheduled break periods in which
students may do one or more of the following:

(
a
) Go outside.

(
b
) Engage in
recreational activities with other students.

(
c
) Refocus
between classes or after lessons.

3. Active classroom breaks in which
students receive a mental and physical break from academic tasks without
leaving the classroom.

B. A school district or charter
school shall excuse a student from all or part of the physical activity
requirements prescribed in this section if any of the following applies:

1. A physician who is licensed
pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or 17 states in writing that the student
should be exempted.

2. The student is a pupil with
chronic health problems as defined in section 15-346 and the student's
health does not allow the student to participate in the physical activity.

3. The student's individualized
education program team makes a determination to excuse the student from all or
part of the physical activity requirements.

4. The student is physically ill.

C. An employee of a school district
or charter school, including personnel who are employed through a third-party
contractor, may not prevent a student in a kindergarten program or any of
grades one through nine from participating in physical activity that is offered
pursuant to this section or as part of the school's physical education
curriculum to punish the student for poor academic performance or behavior.

D. For the purposes of this section,
"physical activity":

1. Means any bodily movement produced
by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.

2. Includes walking, running, dancing
and participating in a sport.
END_STATUTE