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House approves changes to school height/weight measurements, removes BMI from PE and rejects written opt-in parental consent
Summary
The House agreed to amendments that remove body mass index (BMI) calculations from physical education classes and rejected an amendment to require written parental opt-in for height and weight measurements; the bill was agreed to as amended.
The Pennsylvania House on Tuesday amended and agreed to legislation that changes how schools take and use students’ height and weight measurements. Representative Ayen (Chester County), the bill’s sponsor on the floor, offered amendment A00782 to remove BMI calculations from physical education classes; that amendment was adopted overwhelmingly (200–3). A subsequent technical amendment offered by Representative Frankel was adopted unanimously by recorded vote (203–0).
Representative Walsh offered amendment A00998 to require districts to obtain written parental consent (an opt-in) before height and weight measurements would occur; Walsh said opt-in protects parental involvement and prevents implied consent through uniform permission forms. The sponsor responded that an opt-in requirement could jeopardize federal funding and asked for a no vote. The House rejected the opt-in amendment by a 101–102 vote.
The House agreed to the bill as amended and ordered it reprinted. The transcript records the adoption of the BMI removal amendment and the failure of the written consent amendment; it does not report any immediate budgetary figures or implementation details beyond those amendments.
Why it matters: The measure changes school health measurement practices, removing BMI calculation from PE classes and preserving district discretion on consent procedures, a change with implications for school health programs and family privacy policies.
Key details - Action: Amendment A00782 (remove BMI from PE calculations) adopted 200–3; amendment A00783 (technical) adopted 203–0; amendment A00998 (require written parental opt-in) failed 101–102. The bill as amended was ordered reprinted. - Principal speakers: Representative Ayen (sponsor, Chester), Representative Frankel (health committee), Representative Walsh (proposed opt-in amendment).
