By Williamson H.B. No. 2196
74R6547 KKA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the operations of the University Interscholastic
1-3 League.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 21.921, Education Code, is amended by
1-6 adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows:
1-7 (e) The University Interscholastic League may not deny a
1-8 student the opportunity to participate in an interscholastic
1-9 competition sanctioned or conducted by the league because the
1-10 student is enrolled in a private school or is educated at home.
1-11 The league's rules must be designed to allow each student in this
1-12 state to participate in a league activity in the same manner.
1-13 (f) In this section, "private school" has the meaning
1-14 assigned by Section 5.001.
1-15 SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
1-16 amended by adding Sections 21.9212, 21.9213, and 21.9214 to read as
1-17 follows:
1-18 Sec. 21.9212. RESTRICTIONS ON INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE RULES.
1-19 The University Interscholastic League may not adopt a rule that
1-20 prohibits:
1-21 (1) a student who participates in competitions
1-22 sanctioned or conducted by the league from:
1-23 (A) receiving private instruction or private
1-24 coaching in the subject area or activity in which the student
2-1 competes;
2-2 (B) participating in private, competitive
2-3 activities in the subject area or activity in which the student
2-4 competes;
2-5 (C) seeking financial assistance in meeting the
2-6 costs of attending an athletic camp or similar training activity;
2-7 or
2-8 (D) accepting a symbolic award that is related
2-9 to the student's performance and that has a value not in excess of
2-10 $15;
2-11 (2) a student from participating in competitions
2-12 sanctioned or conducted by the league because the student's parents
2-13 do not reside in the school district in which the student attends
2-14 school;
2-15 (3) a school district that competes in an athletic
2-16 event sanctioned or conducted by the league from using a volunteer
2-17 or employing a person part-time to coach students in the event; or
2-18 (4) a coach of a school district that competes in an
2-19 athletic event sanctioned or conducted by the league from
2-20 maintaining a coaching relationship throughout the year with the
2-21 district's students who compete in the event.
2-22 Sec. 21.9213. DATABASE OF INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE RULE
2-23 INTERPRETATIONS. The University Interscholastic League shall
2-24 establish and maintain a computer database containing all
2-25 interpretations of league rules prepared by league staff. The
2-26 database must be:
2-27 (1) used by league staff to produce consistent
3-1 interpretations in response to public inquiries; and
3-2 (2) reasonably available for public use.
3-3 Sec. 21.9214. EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION IN INTERSCHOLASTIC
3-4 LEAGUE GOVERNANCE. The Legislative Council of the University
3-5 Interscholastic League shall establish targets for increasing the
3-6 representation of parents, university personnel, students,
3-7 minorities, women, and persons with nonathletic backgrounds on the
3-8 Legislative Council, the State Executive Committee, and all other
3-9 boards and committees related to the league's governance.
3-10 SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 1995-1996
3-11 school year, except Section 1 applies beginning with the 1996-1997
3-12 school year.
3-13 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
3-14 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-15 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-16 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-17 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-18 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-19 passage, and it is so enacted.