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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the withdrawal or revocation of an athletic scholarship |
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by a public institution of higher education on the basis of a |
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student athlete's injury, illness, or disability. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 56, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 56.0093 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 56.0093. WITHDRAWAL OR REVOCATION OF CERTAIN ATHLETIC |
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SCHOLARSHIPS. (a) In this section, "athletic scholarship" means a |
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scholarship, grant, or similar financial assistance awarded to a |
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student for a period of at least one academic year that is |
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conditioned on the student's participation in intercollegiate |
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athletics. |
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(b) Subject to Subsection (c), an institution of higher |
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education may not withdraw or revoke the athletic scholarship of a |
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student athlete on the basis that the student athlete suffered an |
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injury, illness, or disability, including a mental illness or |
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disability, that renders the student athlete unable to participate |
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in intercollegiate athletics, regardless of whether the injury, |
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illness, or disability is temporary or permanent or resulted from |
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the student athlete's participation in an athletic program at the |
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institution. |
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(c) An institution of higher education may withdraw or |
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revoke the athletic scholarship of a student athlete who suffers an |
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injury, illness, or disability described by Subsection (b) if the |
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student athlete's injury, illness, or disability resulted from the |
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student athlete's violation of the institution's student code of |
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conduct. |
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(d) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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adopt rules as necessary to implement and enforce this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 56.0093, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with athletic scholarships, grants, or |
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similar financial assistance initially awarded to student athletes |
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for the 2025-2026 academic year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |