By Nixon                                               H.B. No. 220
         76R107 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 entitled to the benefits of the available school
1-10     fund under Section 25.001(a) the opportunity to participate in an
1-11     activity sponsored by the league on the ground that the child does
1-12     not attend public school.  The league may not deny a school the
1-13     opportunity to participate in an activity sponsored by the league
1-14     because the school is a private school.  The league's rules must be
1-15     designed to allow all children and schools in this state to
1-16     participate in league activities in 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 1999-2000
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.