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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to participation by private school students in University |
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Interscholastic League sponsored activities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 33, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 33.0831 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 33.0831. PARTICIPATION IN UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC |
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LEAGUE ACTIVITIES. (a) In this section, "private school" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 39.033(d). |
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(b) The University Interscholastic League may not deny a |
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school or its students the opportunity to become a member of the |
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league or otherwise discriminate against a school or its students |
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because the school is a private school. |
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(c) This section does not exempt a private school or its |
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students from satisfying each rule or eligibility requirement |
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imposed by this subchapter or the league for participating in an |
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activity or league district sponsored by the league. |
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(d) A private school seeking to participate in a league |
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activity or to become a member of a league district shall apply to |
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the league on a signed form prescribed by the league. The private |
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school must certify its eligibility under this subchapter and |
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league rules in the application and must attach proof of |
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accreditation. The league may not impose eligibility requirements |
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for private schools that exceed the requirements of this subchapter |
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or league rules for public schools or require proof of eligibility |
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that exceeds the proof required of public schools. On approval of |
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an application, the league shall issue a certificate of approval to |
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the applicant school. The application and certificate of approval |
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are governmental records for purposes of Section 37.10, Penal Code. |
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(e) To determine the appropriate league district in which an |
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eligible private school will participate, the league must multiply |
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the private school's enrollment by two and place the private school |
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in an appropriate league district based on that enrollment figure, |
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provided that the private school is placed in a league district not |
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lower than the 4A level. |
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(f) For each league activity in which competition results in |
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a state championship or state-level award, the league shall |
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structure the competition by dividing the competitors at an |
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appropriate point in the competition into public school and private |
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school brackets or divisions so that at each relevant level of |
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competition a public school is designated as public school champion |
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or award recipient and a private school is designated as private |
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school champion or award recipient. |
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(g) The league may adopt rules designed to discourage an |
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eligible private school from recruiting any student to attend the |
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school for the purpose of participating in a league activity. A |
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rule adopted under this subsection may not be designed to |
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discriminate against an eligible private school. |
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(h) To be eligible under this section, a private school |
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must: |
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(1) be accredited by an accrediting organization |
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recognized by the agency; |
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(2) not have had its ability or eligibility to |
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participate in an association similar to the league compromised, |
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revoked, or suspended for violating the rules or codes of that |
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association; |
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(3) offer a four-year high school curriculum; |
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(4) offer interscholastic competition; and |
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(5) require daily student attendance at a specific |
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location. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2010-2011 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |