This bill allows public high school student-athletes to opt out of physical education during their athletic seasons by substituting the physical education course with a study hall. Specifically, it states that a student participating in a school-sponsored sport can make this substitution, and their participation in the sport will count towards fulfilling the physical education requirement for graduation. Additionally, the student will receive the same number of high school graduation credits for their participation in the sport as they would for completing the physical education course.

The bill clarifies that it does not exempt students from the requirement to attend at least two and one-half hours per week of health and safety education courses when scheduled, nor does it affect the physical education requirements for students in grades one through eight or for high school students not involved in school-sponsored sports. The intent behind the bill is to provide student-athletes with more time to focus on their academic studies and preparation for post-secondary education, as the sponsors believe that participation in sports sufficiently meets the physical education requirements. The bill is set to take effect immediately and will first apply to the 2024-2025 school year.