Comprehensive Health Education; include domestic violence and dating violence prevention education for public schools.

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To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Nelson, McLean

HOUSE BILL NO. 1464

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-134, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO INCLUDE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND DATING VIOLENCE PREVENTION 2
EDUCATION IN COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS; TO 3
DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS RELATING TO THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED 4
PURPOSES. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 6
SECTION 1. Section 37-13-134, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 7
amended as follows: 8
37-13-134. (1) The Legislature recognizes that there is a 9
problem with Mississippi student inactivity and obesity, as well 10
as the impact that challenges in family and community environments 11
can have on student health and academic success, and therefore 12
requires the following guidelines for school district physical 13
education, health education and physical activity and fitness 14
classes: 15
(a) Kindergarten through Grade 8: One hundred fifty 16
(150) minutes per week of physical activity-based instruction and 17
forty-five (45) minutes per week of health education instruction, 18
as defined by the State Board of Education. 19
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(b) Grades 9 through 12: One-half (1/2) Carnegie unit 20
requirement in physical education or physical activity for 21
graduation. Beginning with the 2015-2016 Ninth Grade class, an 22
instructional component on the proper administration of 23
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated 24
external defibrillator (AED) shall be included as part of the 25
physical education or health education curriculum. The curricula 26
shall incorporate into the instruction the psychomotor skills 27
necessary to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use of an 28
automated external defibrillator as follows: 29
(i) An instructional program developed by the 30
American Heart Association or the American Red Cross; 31
(ii) An instructional program which is nationally 32
recognized and is based on the most current national 33
evidence-based Emergency Cardiovascular Care guidelines for 34
cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external 35
defibrillator; 36
(iii) A licensed teacher shall not be required to 37
be a certified trainer of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, to 38
facilitate, provide or oversee such instruction for 39
noncertification; and 40
(iv) Courses which result in a certification being 41
earned must be taught by an authorized CPR/AED instructor. 42
For purposes of this paragraph (b), the term "psychomotor 43
skills" means the use of hands-on practicing to support cognitive 44
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learning. Cognitive-only training does not qualify as 45
"psychomotor skills." 46
The requirements of this paragraph (b) shall be minimum 47
requirements. Any local school district shall be authorized to 48
offer CPR and AED instruction for longer periods of time than 49
required herein, and may enhance the curriculum and training 50
components. 51
(c) The State Department of Education shall establish a 52
procedure for monitoring adherence by school boards to the 53
requirements set forth in this section. 54
All instruction in physical education, health education and 55
physical activity must be based on the most current state 56
standards provided by the State Department of Education. 57
(d) The State Department of Education, in partnership 58
with the State Department of Health and the Mississippi Coalition 59
Against Domestic Violence, shall provide training and resources 60
for educators to effectively deliver instruction on domestic 61
violence and dating violence prevention as part of the health 62
education curriculum. 63
Dating violence education shall include, but not be limited 64
to, defining dating violence, recognizing dating violence warning 65
signs, and understanding the characteristics of healthy 66
relationships, with instruction emphasizing prevention strategies 67
and respectful communication, and students receiving a copy of the 68
school's dating violence policy. 69
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(e) For purposes of this section: 70
(i) "At school" means in a classroom, on or 71
immediately adjacent to the school premises, on a school bus or 72
other school-related vehicle, at an official school bus stop, or 73
at any school-sponsored activity or event, whether or not it is on 74
school grounds. 75
(ii) "Dating partner" means any person involved in an 76
intimate association with another person primarily characterized 77
by the expectation of affectionate involvement whether casual, 78
serious, or long-term. 79
(iii) "Dating violence" means a pattern of abusive or 80
coercive behaviors used to exert power and control over a current 81
or former dating partner. Behaviors may occur online, in person, 82
or through the use of technology. Abuse may be physical, verbal, 83
emotional, sexual, financial, or psychological and includes 84
threats, isolation, and intimidation. 85
(2) Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, each local 86
school board shall, consistent with regulations adopted by the 87
State Board of Education, adopt a school wellness plan which shall 88
promote a healthy lifestyle for Mississippi's school children and 89
staff. Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, the school 90
wellness plan shall also promote increased physical activity, 91
healthy eating habits and abstinence from the use of tobacco and 92
illegal drugs through programs that incorporate healthy lifestyle 93
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choices into core subject areas which may be developed in 94
partnership with the Institute for America's Health. 95
(3) Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, the State 96
Board of Education, in consultation with the State Department of 97
Health, shall have the authority to establish a school health 98
pilot program to improve student health so that all students can 99
fully participate and be successful in school. The school health 100
pilot program shall be implemented in local school districts, as 101
provided in Section 37-13-134.1. 102
(4) The Legislature shall appropriate sufficient 103
state-source funds for the State Department of Education to employ 104
a physical activity coordinator to assist districts on current and 105
effective practices and on implementation of physical education 106
and physical activity programs. 107
(5) The physical activity coordinator employed under Section 108
37-13-133 must have the qualifications prescribed in any of the 109
following paragraphs, which are listed in the order of preference: 110
(a) A doctorate in physical education, exercise science 111
or a highly related field, and at least three (3) years of 112
experience in teaching physical education in Grades K-12 or in 113
physical activity promotion/fitness leadership; or 114
(b) A master's degree in physical education, exercise 115
science or a highly related field, and at least five (5) years of 116
experience in teaching physical education in Grades K-12 or in 117
physical activity promotion/fitness leadership; or 118
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(c) A bachelor's degree in physical education, a 119
teacher's license, and at least seven (7) years of experience in 120
teaching physical education in Grades K-12 or in physical activity 121
promotion/fitness leadership. 122
(6) The Governor's Commission on Physical Fitness and Sports 123
created under Section 7-1-551 et seq., the Mississippi Council on 124
Obesity Prevention and Management created under Section 41-101-1 125
et seq., the Task Force on Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention 126
created under Section 41-103-1 et seq., the Mississippi Alliance 127
for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and the 128
Mississippi Alliance for School Health shall provide 129
recommendations to the State Department of Education regarding the 130
employment of the physical activity coordinator. The department 131
shall consider the recommendations of those entities in employing 132
the physical activity coordinator. 133
(7) The physical activity coordinator shall present a state 134
physical activity plan each year to the Governor's Commission on 135
Physical Fitness and Sports, the Mississippi Council on Obesity 136
Prevention and Management, the Task Force on Heart Disease and 137
Stroke Prevention, the Mississippi Alliance for Health, Physical 138
Education, Recreation and Dance, and the Mississippi Alliance for 139
School Health. 140
(8) The physical activity coordinator shall monitor the 141
districts for adherence to current Mississippi school 142
accountability standards and for implementation of the physical 143
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education curriculum on file with the State Department of 144
Education. The State Department of Education shall monitor and 145
act as a clearinghouse for the activities of the local school 146
health councils established pursuant to subsection (9) of this 147
section. 148
(9) (a) The local school board of each school district 149
shall establish a local school health council for each school 150
which shall ensure that local community values are reflected in 151
the local school's wellness plan to address school health. Such 152
councils shall be established no later than November 1, 2006. 153
(b) The local school health council's duties shall 154
include, but not be limited to, the following: 155
(i) Recommend age-appropriate curriculum and the 156
number of hours of instruction to be provided in health and 157
physical activity-based education, provided that the number of 158
hours shall not be less than that required by this section; 159
(ii) Recommend appropriate practices that include 160
a coordinated approach to school health designed to prevent 161
obesity, cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes and other health 162
risks, through coordination of: 163
1. Health education; 164
2. Physical education; 165
3. Nutritional services; 166
4. Parental/Community involvement; 167
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5. Instruction to prevent the use of tobacco, 168
drugs and alcohol; 169
6. Physical activity; 170
7. Health services; 171
8. Healthy environment; 172
9. Counseling and psychological services; 173
10. Healthy lifestyles; and 174
11. Staff wellness. 175
(iii) Provide guidance on the development and 176
implementation of the local school wellness plan. 177
(c) The local school board shall appoint members to the 178
local school health council. At a minimum, the school board shall 179
appoint one (1) person from each of the following groups: 180
(i) Parents who are not employed by the school 181
district; 182
(ii) The director of local school food services; 183
(iii) Public schoolteachers; 184
(iv) Public school administrators; 185
(v) District students; 186
(vi) Health care professionals; 187
(vii) The business community; 188
(viii) Law enforcement; 189
(ix) Senior citizens; 190
(x) The clergy; 191
(xi) Nonprofit health organizations; and 192
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ST: Comprehensive Health Education; include
domestic violence and dating violence prevention
education for public schools.
(xii) Faith-based organizations. 193
(10) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit 194
or limit the sale or distribution of any food or beverage item 195
through fund-raisers conducted by students, teachers, school 196
groups, or parent groups when the items are intended for sale off 197
the school campus. 198
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 199
and after July 1, 2026. 200