BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 896

By: Hochberg

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

University Interscholastic League (UIL) eligibility rules are written to prevent one school from unfairly recruiting a star student-athlete from a rival program. They also prevent a student-athlete who was unable to earn a spot on a varsity team at one school from transferring somewhere else for the specific purpose of playing in that sport on another team.  However, under current UIL rules, if a student wishes to participate in a sport not already offered at the student's school, the student would be ineligible for at least one year. A student can also be ruled ineligible for non-sporting UIL activities, such as debate or orchestra, if the student tries transferring from the student's original school to a school that offers the non-sporting activity.

H.B. 896 allows a transferring student to participate immediately in an extracurricular activity program if the student's original school does not offer the extracurricular program in which the student wishes to participate.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 896 amends the Education Code to provide that a student who transfers to a school or moves into the attendance zone of a school for the purpose of participating in an extracurricular activity or a University Interscholastic League competition offered at that school is eligible to participate if the activity or competition is not offered at the school from which the student transferred or moved and the student is otherwise eligible to participate. The bill makes its provisions applicable beginning with the 2009-2010 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.