HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Aug. 11 (Huntington Beach Times) — A California bill authored by state Sen. Tony Strickland, a Republican elected to represent the 36th Senate District, has passed the Legislature and is headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom for consideration.
The measure, Senate Bill 1133, would guide future health instruction in California public schools. It would not require schools to create a new class or use a specific curriculum.
Instead, the bill would require the state’s Instructional Quality Commission to consider adding evidence-based preventive health instruction during the next regular revision of the Health Education Framework for California Public Schools.
The bill was authored by Strickland, whose district office is in Huntington Beach, and sponsored by the nonprofit End Chronic Disease. The proposed changes would apply statewide, not just in Huntington Beach.
What would students learn?
The proposed subject areas include:
- Nutrition and food literacy
- Sleep
- Physical activity and exercise
- Stress management
- Digital balance and screen use
- Environmental factors, including water and air quality
The goal is to help students understand how everyday habits can affect health, learning and long-term well-being. In a statement released by his Senate office, Strickland said the bill would help students understand “how nutrition, sleep, physical activity, stress, and technology impact health, learning, and long-term well-being.”
The measure focuses on preventive health. That means teaching students about habits and conditions that may help reduce health risks before serious problems develop.
Would schools have to add a class?
No. The bill would work through the existing state framework process rather than requiring a separate course, textbook or lesson plan.
A framework is a state guide that describes what students should learn in a subject. School districts and educators use state frameworks when developing or selecting instructional materials, but the framework itself is not a single statewide curriculum.
If Newsom signs SB 1133, the Instructional Quality Commission would consider the health topics during the next regular framework revision on or after Jan. 1, 2027, according to a Senate Education Committee hearing packet.
The commission’s consideration would not automatically determine how every school teaches the material. Districts and schools would still make decisions about curriculum and instruction within state requirements and local policies.
What does the bill mean for Huntington Beach schools?
The legislation is locally connected because Strickland represents Huntington Beach and the surrounding 36th Senate District. But the available legislative materials do not describe a Huntington Beach school district vote, budget allocation or implementation plan.
The bill would affect California public schools as a statewide education policy. Its immediate operational effect would be to direct a future state review of health education content, rather than to require an immediate change in classroom schedules.
The materials available do not establish whether Newsom has signed, vetoed or otherwise acted on the bill. They also do not provide a final framework, a required grade level or a specific timeline for classroom use.
