By:  Van Arsdale                                                  H.B. No. 981



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the ability of state-supported college or university 
football teams to participate in post-regular-season competition.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is 
amended by adding Section 51.968 to read as follows:
	Sec. 51.968.  CERTAIN INTER-COLLEGIATE FOOTBALL 
COMPETITIONS.  No varsity football team from any state-supported 
college or university within Texas shall be allowed to participate 
in any intercollegiate post-regular-season competition unless that 
competition is part of a national playoff system consisting of no 
fewer than sixteen (16) teams competing in successive elimination 
games culminating in a final game for the national championship of 
that entire division or level of intercollegiate football 
competition.  This prohibition shall be rescinded automatically on 
December 2, 2005 unless a similar prohibition for its state 
colleges or universities is adopted and effective on or before 
December 1, 2005, and remains in effect as of that date by each of 
not less than four (4) of the following states:  Alabama, Arizona, 
California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, 
Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2005.