AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Currently in Texas, there is no mandate for youth sports coaches to be trained or receive background checks before they teach or interact with children. S.B. 1319 requires that any youth coach be screened for a background check, obtain two hours of sports specific training and two hours of non-skills based training. A youth coach is defined as anyone who provides training, teaching or other similar services to children in grades kindergarten through sixth grade.

 

The sports specific training and non-skills training may only be administered by a certified sports foundation, a national youth sports organization, a coaches association, a national governing body, or a public or private high school or middle school athletic department.  The sports specific training may be completed online or in person. However, the non-skills training must be conducted in person and include a variety of lessons from proper communication techniques to accountability to child development. The Texas Commission on Licensing and Regulation is responsible for implementing this chapter.  

 

As proposed, S.B. 1319 amends current law relating to requirements for coaches of youth sports programs.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation in SECTION 1 (Section 2053.004, Occupations Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Subtitle B, Title 13, Occupations Code, by adding Chapter 2053, as follows:

 

CHAPTER 2053. REQUIREMENTS FOR COACHES OF YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM

 

Sec. 2053.001. DEFINITIONS. Defines "coach" and "youth sports program."

 

Sec. 2053.002. TRAINING AND CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD CHECK REQUIRED. (a) Prohibits a person from acting  as a coach for a youth sports program unless the person has successfully completed a youth sports training course that meets the requirements of this chapter and rules adopted under this chapter and includes a criminal history record check ascertaining whether the person is registered as a sex offender under Chapter 62 (Sex Offender Registration Program), Code of Criminal Procedure.

 

(b) Authorizes a youth sports training course required by this section to be offered or facilitated only by a sports foundation, a nonprofit national youth sports organization that requires and administers a participant certification program, a coaches association, a national governing body as that term is defined by the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act (36 U.S.C. Section 220501), or a public or private high school or middle school athletic department.

 

(c) Requires that a youth sports training course include:

 

 (1) at least two hours of in-person or online specific sport skills-based coaching instruction; and

(2) at least two hours of in-person non-skills-based coaching instruction that, at a minimum, addresses:

 

(A) the role of a youth sports coach;

 

(B) communication and accountability by and between coaches, participants, and parents;

 

(C)  suggestions for teaching and modeling life skills;

 

(D) child developmental stages and corresponding age-appropriate communication and discipline; and

 

(E)  the health, safety, and legal responsibilities of coaches.

 

Sec. 2053.003. LIABILITY INSURANCE INFORMATION. Authorizes an organization that provides a youth sports training course to offer to coaches attending the course information on the availability of liability insurance for the coaches and their players.

 

Sec. 2053.004. RULES. Authorizes the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation (TCLR) to adopt the rules necessary to implement this chapter.

 

SECTION 2. (a) Requires TCLR to adopt any rules necessary to implement Chapter 2053, Occupations Code, as added by this Act, not later than December 1, 2015.

 

(b) Provides that the changes in law made by this Act apply only to a coach who is coaching a youth sports program for a sports season that begins on or after January 1, 2016. Provides that a coach who is coaching a youth sports program during a sports season that began before that date is governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2015.