Monitoring the Session

HB 2849

bill ordering model recess policies

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Alma A. AllenDHouse 131

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to policies on the recess period in public schools.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Due January 1, 2026. Includes guidelines for outdoor equipment.

The bill orders the state health department's school health advisory committee to write model recess policies by January 1, 2026, including guidelines for outdoor equipment. Every school district board must adopt its own recess policy by May 1, 2026, setting weekly minutes of unstructured play and saying whether recess can be taken away as punishment, and must review it every five years. Each campus must follow its district's policy starting with the 2026-2027 school year.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 3984 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 3984 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 7, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the Education K-16 committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2849 · 2025-02-14

SOLD BY

Rep. Alma A. AllenDHouse 131 Rep. Lauren Ashley SimmonsDHouse 146 Rep. Jolanda "Jo" JonesDHouse 147

+ 2 coauthors

ITEM

relating to policies on the recess period in public schools.

WHAT IT DOES

Due January 1, 2026. Includes guidelines for outdoor equipment.

The bill orders the state health department's school health advisory committee to write model recess policies by January 1, 2026, including guidelines for outdoor equipment. Every school district board must adopt its own recess policy by May 1, 2026, setting weekly minutes of unstructured play and saying whether recess can be taken away as punishment, and must review it every five years. Each campus must follow its district's policy starting with the 2026-2027 school year.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 23, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Public Education
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in public hearing
  9. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  10. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  11. Committee report distributed
  12. Committee report sent to Calendars
  13. Considered in Calendars
  14. Placed on General State Calendar
  15. Read 2nd time
  16. Passed to engrossment
  17. Record vote RV#1567
  18. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  19. Read 3rd time
  20. Passed
  21. Record vote RV#1638
  22. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  23. Reported engrossed
  24. Received from the House
  25. Read first time
  26. Referred to Education K-16
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 117 yea · 27 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 7, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Alma A. Allen

Donors

Texas Sands PAC$4KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$2KBetter Days Chiropractic Clinic$1K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Nov 1, 2024 to Aug 14, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texas Sands PAC$4,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$4,000.00

Cash
$4,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$4,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 6, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989001.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$1,500.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$1,500.00

Cash
$1,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$1,500.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 29, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989001.

Better Days Chiropractic Clinic$1,000.00

Better Days Chiropractic Clinic

$1,000.00

Cash
$1,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$1,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Nov 5, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 5, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989001.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$4,000.00

Cash
$4,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$4,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 6, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989001.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$1,500.00

Cash
$1,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$1,500.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 29, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989001.

×

Better Days Chiropractic Clinic

$1,000.00

Cash
$1,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$1,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Nov 5, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 5, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100989001.

Votes2

House May 7, 2025

Yea
117
Nay
27
Present, not voting
2
Absent
2
Excused
2
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 1638

HB 2849 was passed by (Record 1638): 117 Yeas, 27 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 117 (published)
  • Nay: 27 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 2 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House May 6, 2025

Yea
121
Nay
23
Present, not voting
1
Absent
3
Excused
2
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 1567

HB 2849 was passed to engrossment by (Record 1567): 121 Yeas, 23 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 121 (published)
  • Nay: 23 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 2 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses30
For
22
Against
5
On
3
Names

For

  • Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE)1 registration
  • Children at Risk1 registration
  • Democrats for Education Reform TX1 registration
  • Fieldstead1 registration
  • Make Texans Healthy Again1 registration
  • Methodist Healthcare Ministries1 registration
  • Partnership for a Healthy Texas1 registration
  • Self1 registration
  • Self; Autism Society of Texas1 registration
  • Self; Every Texan1 registration
  • Self; TEPI1 registration
  • Self; Texas School Nurses Organization1 registration
  • TAHPERD1 registration
  • Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, Partnership for a Healthy Texas1 registration
  • Texas Classroom Teachers Association1 registration
  • Texas Medical Association2 registrations
  • Texas Pediatric Society1 registration
  • Texas PTA1 registration
  • Texas State Teachers Association1 registration
  • TX AFT1 registration
  • United Ways of Texas1 registration

Against

  • Self2 registrations
  • Self; True Texas Project2 registrations
  • Self; True texas project1 registration

On

  • Department of State Health Services1 registration
  • Self1 registration
  • Texas Education Agency1 registration
Sources

30 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 23, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 3984

by Rep. Allen, same lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 20, 2023: Referred to Public Education

Relating to policies on the recess period in public schools.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 14, 2025

05/21/2025 S Referred to Education K-16

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors
Aicha DavisDHouse 109 Helen KerwinRHouse 58

House committee · Public Education · Committee vote 14 aye, 1 nay · Out of committee

Senate committee · Education K-16 · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Education--Primary & Secondary--General

Education--School Districts

SCHOOL HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE (VC3AU)

STATE HEALTH SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 352 words

89R12817 RDR-F

By: Allen
H.B. No. 2849

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to policies on the recess period in public schools.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is

amended by adding Sections 28.0045 and 28.0046 to read as follows:

Sec. 28.0045. MODEL RECESS POLICIES. The Department of

State Health Services School Health Advisory Committee established

under Section 1001.0711, Health and Safety Code, shall develop

model policies for the recess period during the school day that

encourage constructive, age-appropriate outdoor playtime. The

model policies must include guidelines for outdoor equipment and

facilities on public school campuses that maximize the

effectiveness of outdoor physical activity.

Sec. 28.0046. RECESS POLICY. (a) The board of trustees of

each school district shall:

(1) after reviewing the model recess policies

developed under Section 28.0045 and the policy recommendations of

the local school health advisory council provided under Section

28.004(l), adopt a recess policy based on those model policies and

recommendations; and

(2) review and, if necessary, revise the recess policy

at least every five years.

(b) The recess policy must specify:

(1) the required number of minutes of weekly

unstructured playtime; and

(2) whether a student's recess time may be withheld as

a form of student discipline.

(c) Each school district campus subject to the district

recess policy adopted under Subsection (a) shall implement the

recess policy.

SECTION 2. (a) Not later than January 1, 2026, the

Department of State Health Services School Health Advisory

Committee shall develop model recess policies as required by

Section 28.0045, Education Code, as added by this Act.

(b) Not later than May 1, 2026, the board of trustees of each

school district shall adopt a recess policy as required by Section

28.0046, Education Code, as added by this Act.

(c) Not later than the beginning of the 2026-2027 school

year, each school district campus subject to a school district

recess policy adopted under Section 28.0046, Education Code, as

added by this Act, shall implement the adopted policy.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.