BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1075
85R19355 GCB-F	By: Thompson, Ed (Hancock)
	Education
	5/15/2017
	Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

In the 83rd legislative session, H.B. 1775 established guidelines for the University Interscholastic League's (UIL's) regulation of sports officials in coordination with autonomous statewide sports official groups. As part of that regulation, UIL is permitted to require background checks but the statute is ambiguous and needs clarification.

 

H.B. 1075 simply clarifies that sports officials authorized to officiate a contest sponsored by UIL must complete a background check upon initial registration and again once every three years.

 

H.B. 1075 amends current law relating to the frequency of criminal background checks for sports officials registered with the University Interscholastic League.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 33.085, Education Code, by amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsection (c-1), as follows:

 

(b) Authorizes the University Interscholastic League (UIL) to require a sports official, as a condition of eligibility to officiate a contest sponsored by UIL, to meet certain criteria, including be registered with UIL and comply with the registration requirements of Subsections (c) and (c-1), rather than Subsection (c).

 

(c) Requires that a sports official, in registering with UIL, be required to provide directory information required by UIL and undergo an initial criminal background check, rather than submit to a criminal background check.

 

(c-1) Requires a sports official, to maintain registration with UIL, to maintain compliance with conditions of eligibility required by UIL under Subsection (b) and undergo a subsequent criminal background check once every three years following the date of the initial criminal background check under Subsection (c).

 

SECTION 2. (a) Provides that Section 33.085 (Authority of University Interscholastic League Regarding Activities Involving Sports Officials), Education Code, as amended by this Act, applies to each sports official authorized to officiate a contest sponsored by UIL, regardless of whether an official initially registered with UIL under that section before the effective date of this Act.

 

(b) Requires UIL to ensure that each sports official registered under Section 33.085, Education Code, before the effective date of this Act undergoes a subsequent criminal background check not later than September 1, 2020.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2017.