By Shapiro                                       S.B. No. 183

      75R2278 MLS-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to training programs for youth sports coaches.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Title 132A, Revised Statutes, is amended by

 1-5     adding Article 9105 to read as follows:

 1-6           Art. 9105.  TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH SPORTS COACHES

 1-7           Sec. 1.  DEFINITIONS.  In this article:

 1-8                 (1)  "Coach" means a person who provides coaching,

 1-9     training, teaching, or other similar services to participants in a

1-10     youth sports program.

1-11                 (2)  "Commissioner" means the commissioner of licensing

1-12     and regulation.

1-13                 (3)  "Department" means the Texas Department of

1-14     Licensing and Regulation.

1-15                 (4)  "Youth sports program" means an entity that

1-16     provides an organized athletic program for children younger than 18

1-17     years of age, including a cheerleading or other similar program.

1-18           Sec. 2.  MINIMUM STANDARDS; APPROVAL OF TRAINING PROGRAMS.

1-19     (a)  The department shall adopt minimum standards for training for

1-20     coaches in specific sports under this article.  The minimum

1-21     standards must require that the training address:

1-22                 (1)  medical, legal, and first aid aspects of coaching;

1-23                 (2)  training and conditioning of athletes;

1-24                 (3)  psychological aspects of coaching;

 2-1                 (4)  general coaching concepts, including training

 2-2     concepts specific to the particular sport to which the training

 2-3     program applies; and

 2-4                 (5)  any other topic required by the department.

 2-5           (b)  The department may establish one or more advisory

 2-6     committees to assist the department to develop minimum standards

 2-7     under this section.

 2-8           (c)  The department may approve a training program for

 2-9     coaches of a youth sports program if the training program meets the

2-10     minimum standards.

2-11           Sec. 3.  APPLICATION; FEE.  (a)  An applicant for approval of

2-12     a training program for coaches of a youth sports program must

2-13     submit an application in the form required by the department.

2-14           (b)  The application must be accompanied by a fee in an

2-15     amount set by the department.

2-16           Sec. 4.  EXPIRATION; RENEWAL.  (a)  Approval of a training

2-17     program under this article expires on the second anniversary of the

2-18     date of issuance of the approval.

2-19           (b)  Approval may be renewed on submission of a renewal fee

2-20     in an amount set by the department.

2-21           Sec. 5.  FEES.  The department shall set fees under this

2-22     article in the amount necessary to administer this article.  The

2-23     department shall establish a reduced fee schedule applicable to

2-24     approval and renewal of approval of training programs provided by a

2-25     local youth sports organization only to volunteer coaches for that

2-26     organization.

2-27           Sec. 6.  DESIGNATED SPORTS.  The department shall designate

 3-1     the sports for which minimum standards for training programs are

 3-2     established and shall publish a list of those sports.

 3-3           Sec. 7.  RULES.  The commissioner may adopt rules to

 3-4     implement this article.

 3-5           SECTION 2.  Chapter 84, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is

 3-6     amended by adding Section 84.0075 to read as follows:

 3-7           Sec. 84.0075.  YOUTH SPORTS.  (a)  This chapter does not

 3-8     apply to the liability of a volunteer acting as a coach for a

 3-9     charitable organization organized for youth sports and youth

3-10     recreational purposes and arising out of the volunteer's activities

3-11     as coach if:

3-12                 (1)  the sport for which the volunteer is acting as

3-13     coach is a sport for which minimum standards for training programs

3-14     have been approved under Article 9105, Revised Statutes; and

3-15                 (2)  the coach had not, before the act or omission that

3-16     is the subject of the claim, completed an approved training program

3-17     in that sport.

3-18           (b)  This chapter does not apply to the liability of a

3-19     charitable organization organized for youth sports and youth

3-20     recreational purposes if that liability arises out of an act or

3-21     omission for which a volunteer is liable under Subsection (a).

3-22           (c)  This section does not apply to the liability of a

3-23     volunteer or organization for an act or omission that occurs before

3-24     the second anniversary of the date on which the Texas Department of

3-25     Licensing and Regulation initially designates the sport as a sport

3-26     for which minimum standards for training programs are established

3-27     under Section 6, Article 9105, Revised Statutes.

 4-1           SECTION 3.  The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation

 4-2     shall adopt the initial rules and minimum standards for

 4-3     implementation of Article 9105, Revised Statutes, as added by this

 4-4     Act, not later than January 1, 1998.

 4-5           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 4-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 4-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 4-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 4-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

4-10     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

4-11     passage, and it is so enacted.