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House Bill 3563 |
House Author: King, Phil et al. |
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Effective: 6-18-05 |
Senate Sponsor: Staples |
House Bill 3563, relating to anabolic steroids, amends the Education Code to require the Texas Education Agency in conjunction with the Department of State Health Services to develop information about the use of, and health risks associated with, such steroids, and to distribute that information to school districts. Each school district, at appropriate grade levels determined by the State Board of Education, must provide the information to students, especially those involved in extracurricular athletics. Additionally, the bill requires the University Interscholastic League (UIL) to develop an educational program regarding the health effects of steroid use, targeting student athletes, their parents, and coaches. The educational program must be made available to school districts, and the UIL must cooperate with an appropriate entity to study its effectiveness. The bill requires the UIL during the 2005-2006 school year to conduct a survey regarding the extent of illegal steroid use by high school students. It mandates the UIL to adopt rules that prohibit a student from participating in a UIL athletic competition unless the UIL obtains from the parent a signed statement making specified acknowledgments regarding steroids, and unless the student agrees not to use steroids except as dispensed, prescribed, delivered, and administered by a medical practitioner for a valid medical purpose. The UIL must develop a plan for testing students engaged in extracurricular UIL athletics for illegal bodily steroids and must report to the legislature not later than December 1, 2006, regarding its testing plan, the survey results, and the educational program effectiveness study. If the legislature determines, based on the report, that the educational program has not significantly reduced the use of illegal steroids by student athletes, it may require the UIL to implement the testing plan. The bill authorizes the UIL to increase school district membership fees to offset the cost of its various activities under the legislation.