Governor Vetoes Physical Education Bill

When legislation is passed that requires funding to enforce, rarely does the Virginia General Assembly provide the money to the localities that must adhere to the law. They call this an unfunded mandate.

The result is local governments have to use local revenue to fund these mandates. The Virginia Association of Counties has long opposed unfunded mandates.  Local elected leaders from across the state have bemoaned unfunded mandates more frequently during this economic recession.

Gov. Bob McDonnell is listening.

McDonnell vetoed a Senate bill 966 patroned by Sen. Ralph Northam (D-Norfolk) that would have required local school systems to provide 150 minutes of physical education per week for all students in elementary and middle schools by 2014.

The General Assembly passed the bill.

"It's really designed to combat an epidemic that we have in our Commonwealth and across the country, which is childhood obesity," Northam said during the General Assembly session this year. Northam, a pediatric neurologist, said health care costs to fight obesity cost the state $1.6 billion each year.

Local school districts opposed the bill, including the largest in the state, Fairfax County, where school officials argued that it would cost them millions to meet the mandate.

"If I get anything more than four emails or calls on any issue that's not abortion or guns, it's a pretty big deal," sai dDel. David Albo, (R-Fairfax). "I've got eight people here who don't like it and two people who do."

McDonnell said the objective of the legislation was laudable, but accomplishing the goal of the legislation would create problems for school districts. He said the 150 minutes would be the most for any subject a student takes and potentially cut into time needed for subjects such as math, science and history."

"Education officials advised me that this measure would cost them tens of millions of dollars," McDonnell said in a prepared statement. "Fairfax County estimates the fiscal impact at $18-24 million; Chesterfield County places their potential costs at $6.9 million."

McDonnell encouraged parents to help their children become more active because everyone has a role to play in the fight against childhood obesity.

“While I strongly agree that we must encourage exercise and physical activity,  I oppose unfunded mandates, whether they come from Washington or Richmond," he said.

The General Assembly will consider the veto when it meets the first week of April for the reconvened session.