SHAPE Act fails to pass House

The Student Health and Physical Education or SHAPE Act has failed to pass the House. The vote was 61 to 103. The legislation, sponsored by Senator Joseph Carter, would have required public schools in Georgia to report the aggregate body mass index (BMI) of their students on the Department of Education website. The act was designed to bring awareness to the problem of childhood obesity but was met with considerable opposition because of concerns over the impact of the weight and measurement on student self-esteem. The aggregate BMI publication requirement was stripped out of the bill in House Committee but the legislation retained provisions requiring a physical fitness test and calculation of BMI. The BMI information would only be available to a parent or legal guardian on request.

Again, that measure failed to pass the House and would appear to be dead for the session.