By Nixon H.B. No. 838 75R4904 KKA-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to participation in University Interscholastic League 1-3 sponsored activities. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 33, Education Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 33.086 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 33.086. PARTICIPATION IN UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC 1-8 LEAGUE ACTIVITIES. (a) The University Interscholastic League may 1-9 not deny a child eligible to attend school under Section 25.001(a) 1-10 the opportunity to participate in an activity sponsored by the 1-11 league on the ground that the child does not attend public school. 1-12 The league may not deny a school the opportunity to participate in 1-13 an activity sponsored by the league because the school is a private 1-14 school. The league's rules must be designed to allow all children 1-15 and schools in this state to participate in league activities in 1-16 the same manner. 1-17 (b) This section does not exempt a child from satisfying, as 1-18 provided by league rule, each eligibility requirement for 1-19 participating in a league-sponsored activity other than class 1-20 attendance requirements. 1-21 (c) The instructor of a child assigned to a public school 1-22 for purposes of participation in league-sponsored extracurricular 1-23 activities must provide to the principal of the school, at the time 1-24 grades must be reported for students enrolled in the school, an 2-1 affidavit affirming that the child: 2-2 (1) is taking a number of grade-level courses 2-3 equivalent to the academic requirements for a full-time student at 2-4 the child's grade level enrolled in the school; and 2-5 (2) has grades for that reporting period that satisfy 2-6 grade requirements under Section 33.081 for participation in 2-7 extracurricular activities. 2-8 (d) The principal, director, or other executive officer of a 2-9 private school that participates in league-sponsored 2-10 extracurricular activities through a private school team must 2-11 provide to the league, at the time grades must be reported for 2-12 students enrolled in public schools competing against the team, an 2-13 affidavit affirming that each child participating on the team: 2-14 (1) is taking a number of grade-level courses 2-15 equivalent to the academic requirements for a full-time student at 2-16 the child's grade level enrolled in the public schools competing 2-17 against the team; and 2-18 (2) has grades for that reporting period that satisfy 2-19 grade requirements under Section 33.081 for participation in 2-20 extracurricular activities. 2-21 (e) In this section, "private school" has the meaning 2-22 assigned by Section 22.081. 2-23 SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 1997-1998 2-24 school year. 2-25 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-26 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-27 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-3 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-4 passage, and it is so enacted.