BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	C.S.H.B. 370
82R20531 EAH-F	By: Hochberg (Patrick)
	Education
	5/5/2011
	Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, the University Interscholastic League eligibility rules prevent a school from unfairly recruiting a star student athlete from a rival program or arranging a transfer for a student-athlete who is unable to earn a spot on the varsity team at one school for the specific purpose of playing that sport on another team.  Consequently, if a student wishes to transfer to a school to participate in a sport not offered at the student's original school, the student would be ineligible for at least one year.  A student can also be ruled ineligible for non-sporting league activities, such as debates or orchestra, if the student transfers from the student's original school to a school that offers the non-sporting activity.

C.S.H.B. 370 allows a transferring student, with certain exceptions, to participate immediately in an extracurricular activity program if the student's original school does not offer the extracurricular activity in which the student wishes to participate.

C.S.H.B. 370 amends current law relating to the eligibility of a student to participate in extracurricular activities or competitions after transferring or moving from one public school to another.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the University Interscholastic League in SECTION 1 (Section 33.088, Education Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter D, Chapter 33, Education Code, by adding Section 33.088, as follows:

Sec. 33.088.  ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN TRANSFER STUDENTS.  (a)  Provides that, except as provided by Subsection (b), a student who transfers to a school or moves into the attendance zone of a school for the purpose of participating in a specific extracurricular activity or a specific University Interscholastic League (UIL) competition offered at that school is not ineligible to participate in the activity or competition if:

(1)  the activity or competition is not offered at the school from which the student transferred or moved; and

(2)  the student is otherwise eligible to participate in the activity or competition.

(b)  Authorizes UIL to adopt rules providing that a student who two or more times during a school year transfers to a school or moves into the attendance zone of a school for the purpose of participating in a specific league competition offered at that school is ineligible to participate in the competition.

SECTION 2.  Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2011-2012 school year.

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2011.