Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has vetoed a bill that would require
elementary and middle schools to provide 150 minutes of physical
education per week. The bill would have more than doubled the amount of
required weekly
physical education time for the students by
2014.

The five organizations asking for the veto were the Virginia
Education
Association, Virginia Association of School Superintendents, Virginia
School Boards Association, Virginia Association of Counties and the
Virginia Municipal League. The groups cited the the additional time
requirements placed on teachers. Many elementary schools also don't have
gymnasiums or other facilities sufficient to meet the requirements of
the bill.

“I have long opposed significant unfunded mandates
passed from one level of government to another,” McDonnell said in a
statement. “While the objective of this legislation is laudable, the
proposed means of accomplishment is problematic. Education officials
advise me that this measure would cost them tens of millions of dollars.
… In addition, this mandated time for physical education would exceed
the time dedicated to any other subject in the public school system.”

The time increase was approved by the Virginia Senate and House of
Delegates during the 2011 General Assembly session. It boosted the state
requirement for physical education from 60 minutes per week to 150
minutes for elementary school students. A similar shift was approved for
middle school students.

Thirteen public health and recreation groups asked McDonnell to sign the
bill. The groups signing a letter to the governor include the Virginia
chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Heart
Association and Medical Society of Virginia.

The General Assembly would need two-thirds majorities in both the House
and Senate to override McDonnell's veto. The assembly's veto session is
April 6.

Currently, fewer than 10% of the state's elementary schools offer kids
150 minutes of weekly exercise; the largest school district requires 60
minutes for elementary schoolers. State lawmakers probably won't
overturn the veto, but a sponsor indicated he'd likely reintroduce the bill
next year.