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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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|
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relating to the functions and duties of the University |
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Interscholastic League. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 7.055(b)(41), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(41) The commissioner shall adopt rules relating to |
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extracurricular activities under Section 33.081 and approve or |
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disapprove University Interscholastic League rules and procedures |
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under Section 67.72(c) [33.083]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 33.094(d), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) The University Interscholastic League may adopt rules |
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necessary to implement this section, provided that the rules must |
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be approved by the commissioner in accordance with Section 67.72(c) |
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[33.083(b)]. |
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SECTION 3. Section 33.203, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows: |
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(c) In addition to the forms required by Subsection (a), |
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each student participating in an extracurricular athletic activity |
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must submit a completed University Interscholastic League form |
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entitled "Preparticipation Physical Evaluation--Physical |
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Examination." |
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(d) An affirmative answer on the "Preparticipation Physical |
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Evaluation--Medical History" form indicating a cardiac or |
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neurological history requires a person signing the |
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"Preparticipation Physical Evaluation--Physical Examination" |
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form, in accordance with rules adopted by the University |
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Interscholastic League, to refer the student to the student's |
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treating physician. The student's treating physician must provide |
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a written statement indicating that, in the physician's |
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professional judgment, it is safe for the student to participate in |
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practice and play in an extracurricular athletic activity. |
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SECTION 4. Section 38.153, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows: |
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(c) Not later than September 1 of each year, the |
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superintendent of a school district and the person who serves the |
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function of a superintendent for an open-enrollment charter school |
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shall submit to the University Interscholastic League a notarized |
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document stating: |
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(1) that the district or school has formed a |
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concussion oversight team as required by Subsection (a); |
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(2) the name and occupation of each person serving on |
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the concussion oversight team and confirming that each person has |
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completed the training required by Section 38.154(c); |
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(3) that the concussion oversight team has established |
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and is using the return-to-play protocol as required by Subsection |
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(b); |
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(4) the number of full-time athletic trainers employed |
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by the district or school; and |
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(5) the number of coaches employed by the district or |
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school who have completed the concussion training required by |
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Section 38.158 and the number of coaches employed by the district or |
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school who have not completed the required concussion training. |
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(d) Not later than October 1 of each year, the notarized |
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statements submitted under Subsection (c) must be available to the |
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public on the University Interscholastic League's Internet |
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website. The University Interscholastic League is responsible for |
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ensuring each year that statements are obtained from each school |
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district and open-enrollment charter school subject to this |
|
section. |
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SECTION 5. Section 51.406(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) To the extent that any of the following laws require |
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reporting by a university system or an institution of higher |
|
education, a university system or institution of higher education |
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is not required to make the report on or after September 1, 2013, |
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unless legislation enacted by the 83rd Legislature that becomes law |
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expressly requires the institution or system to make the report: |
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(1) Section 7.109; |
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(2) [Section 33.083;
|
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[(3)] Section 59.07; |
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(3) [(4)] Section 130.086; |
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(4) [(5)] Section 325.007, Government Code; |
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(5) [(6)] Section 669.003, Government Code; |
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(6) [(7)] Section 2005.007, Government Code; |
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(7) [(8)] Section 2054.097, Government Code; |
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(8) [(9)] Chapter 2114, Government Code; and |
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(9) [(10)] Section 2205.041, Government Code. |
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SECTION 6. Chapter 67, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter E to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER E. UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE |
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Sec. 67.71. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "League" means the University Interscholastic |
|
League. |
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(2) "Rule" or "contest rule" means a rule or procedure |
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included in the league's constitution and contest rules. |
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SECTION 7. Sections 33.083(b) and (d), Education Code, are |
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transferred to Subchapter E, Chapter 67, Education Code, as added |
|
by this Act, redesignated as Section 67.72, Education Code, and |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 67.72. UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE. |
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(a) [(b)] The University Interscholastic League is a state agency |
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that is part of The University of Texas at Austin [and must submit
|
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its rules and procedures to the commissioner for approval or
|
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disapproval]. The funds belonging to the league [University
|
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Interscholastic League] shall be deposited with the university [The
|
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University of Texas at Austin] for the benefit of the league and |
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shall be subject to audits by the university [The University of
|
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Texas at Austin], The University of Texas System, and the state |
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auditor. Copies of annual audits shall be furnished, on request, to |
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members of the legislature. |
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(b) The league: |
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(1) creates and administers interscholastic contests, |
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including academic, music, and athletic contests, for member |
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schools; |
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(2) adopts and enforces contest rules; |
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(3) creates local committees to assist in the |
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administration of interscholastic contests; and |
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(4) performs any duty necessary to administer |
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interscholastic contests in the state for member schools. |
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(c) The league must submit all contest rules and procedures |
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to the commissioner of education for approval or disapproval. |
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(d) League contest rules are not subject to Chapter 2001, |
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Government Code. |
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(e) [(d)] The league [University Interscholastic League] |
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shall file annually with the governor and the presiding officer of |
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each house of the legislature a complete and detailed written |
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report accounting for all funds received and disbursed by the |
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league [University Interscholastic League] during the preceding |
|
fiscal year. The form of the annual report and the reporting time |
|
are as provided by the General Appropriations Act. |
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SECTION 8. Section 33.0831, Education Code, is transferred |
|
to Subchapter E, Chapter 67, Education Code, as added by this Act, |
|
redesignated as Section 67.73, Education Code, and amended to read |
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as follows: |
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Sec. 67.73 [33.0831]. [UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC] LEAGUE |
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RULES: FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT. (a) The legislative council of |
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the league [University Interscholastic League] may not take final |
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action on a new or amended rule that would result in additional |
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costs for a member school unless a fiscal impact statement |
|
regarding the rule has been completed in accordance with this |
|
section. |
|
(b) For purposes of Subsection (a), final action by the |
|
legislative council means: |
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(1) submitting a rule to school superintendents, if |
|
the submission is required under the legislative council's |
|
procedures; or |
|
(2) submitting a rule approved by the council to the |
|
commissioner of education for the commissioner's approval under |
|
Section 67.72(c) [33.083(b)], if the rule does not require |
|
submission to school superintendents under the legislative |
|
council's procedures. |
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(c) A fiscal impact statement regarding a rule must include: |
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(1) a projection of the costs to member schools of |
|
complying with the rule during the five-year period following the |
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effective date of the rule; and |
|
(2) an explanation of the methodology used to analyze |
|
the fiscal impact of the rule and determine the costs projection |
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required by Subdivision (1). |
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(d) If a fiscal impact statement is prepared for a rule, a |
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copy of the statement must be attached to the rule when it is |
|
submitted for approval to school superintendents, if applicable, |
|
and when it is submitted to the commissioner of education for |
|
approval. |
|
SECTION 9. Subchapter E, Chapter 67, Education Code, as |
|
added by this Act, is amended by adding Section 67.74 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 67.74. LOCAL COMMITTEES. (a) A local committee |
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created to assist the league in the administration of |
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interscholastic contests is subject to the open meetings |
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requirements under Chapter 551, Government Code, and public |
|
information requirements under Chapter 552, Government Code, in the |
|
same manner that the board of trustees of a school district is |
|
subject to those laws. In addition to any other applicable |
|
exceptions, the exceptions found in Sections 552.114 and 552.135, |
|
Government Code, apply to a local committee. |
|
(b) Any money collected by a local committee for committee |
|
use are not funds belonging to the league and may not be deposited |
|
in a university account. |
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(c) A local committee shall: |
|
(1) collect and expend funds in accordance with league |
|
rules; and |
|
(2) report revenue and expenditures on an annual basis |
|
to the league. |
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SECTION 10. Sections 33.085, 33.091, 33.209, and 67.26, |
|
Education Code, are transferred to Subchapter E, Chapter 67, |
|
Education Code, as added by this Act, redesignated as Sections |
|
67.75, 67.76, 67.77, and 67.78, Education Code, respectively, and |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 67.75 [33.085]. AUTHORITY [OF UNIVERSITY
|
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INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE] REGARDING ACTIVITIES INVOLVING SPORTS |
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OFFICIALS. (a) In this section, "sports official" [:
|
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[(1)
"League" means the University Interscholastic
|
|
League.
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[(2) "Sports official"] means a person who officiates, |
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judges, or in any manner enforces contest rules in any official |
|
capacity with respect to and during the course of an |
|
interscholastic athletic team competition and who is a member of a |
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league-recognized local chapter or association of sports |
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officials. The term includes a referee, umpire, linesman, judge, |
|
or any other person similarly involved in supervising competitive |
|
play. The term does not include a league board member or a league |
|
official who is acting in an official capacity to supervise, |
|
administer, or enforce the league constitution or league contest |
|
rules. |
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(b) The league may require a sports official, as a condition |
|
of eligibility to officiate a contest sponsored by the league, to: |
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(1) be registered with the league and comply with the |
|
registration requirements of Subsection (c); |
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(2) have completed initial and continuing education |
|
programs regarding league rules; |
|
(3) be a member in good standing of a local chapter or |
|
association of sports officials recognized by the league for that |
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purpose; and |
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(4) agree to abide by league rules, including fee |
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schedules and travel reimbursement guidelines for payment by school |
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districts or open-enrollment charter schools to a sports official. |
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(c) In registering with the league, a sports official must |
|
be required to provide directory information required by the league |
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and submit to a criminal background check. |
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(d) The league may not charge a sports official who |
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completes a program under Subsection (b)(2) a fee for more than one |
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program described by Subsection (b)(2). |
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(e) The league may charge and collect a registration fee |
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only to defray the cost of registering sports officials and shall |
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post the amount of the fee on the league's Internet website and make |
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the information available at other places the league determines |
|
appropriate. The amount of the fee may not exceed the amount |
|
reasonably determined by the league to be necessary to cover the |
|
cost of administering registration. |
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(f) The league may revoke or suspend the league registration |
|
of a sports official determined by the league to have violated the |
|
provisions of the league constitution or contest rules governing |
|
sports officials or other league policy applicable to sports |
|
officials. Before the league may take action to revoke or suspend a |
|
sports official's registration, the league shall notify and consult |
|
with the local chapter or association of sports officials of which |
|
the sports official is a member. The local chapter or association |
|
may, on or before the 15th day after the date notice is received |
|
from the league, take action to adjudicate the alleged violation. |
|
If after the 15th day after the date notice is received from the |
|
league the local chapter or association has failed to take action |
|
against the sports official or takes action that the league finds to |
|
be insufficient, the league may take action against the sports |
|
official. The league shall adopt rules to provide a sports official |
|
with the opportunity for an appeals process before the league |
|
revokes or suspends the sports official's registration. In |
|
adopting rules under this subsection, the league shall make a |
|
determination of the actions and subsequent sanctions that would be |
|
considered sufficient under this subsection. |
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(g) The league may not sponsor or organize or attempt to |
|
sponsor or organize any association of sports officials in which |
|
the majority of the membership is composed of sports officials who |
|
officiate team sports. |
|
(h) The league may set rates or fee schedules payable by a |
|
school district or open-enrollment charter school to a sports |
|
official. |
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(i) Before the league may take any action that amends rules |
|
related to the activities of sports officials, other than an action |
|
against an individual sports official under Subsection (f), the |
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league must submit the proposed action for public review and |
|
comment, including: |
|
(1) notifying registered sports officials of the |
|
proposed action by e-mail not later than the 30th day before the |
|
date set for action on the proposal; and |
|
(2) posting the proposal on the league's Internet |
|
website for at least 30 consecutive days before the date set for |
|
action on the proposal. |
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Sec. 67.76 [33.091]. PREVENTION OF ILLEGAL STEROID USE[;
|
|
RANDOM TESTING]. (a) In this section: |
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(1) ["League" means the University Interscholastic
|
|
League.
|
|
[(2)] "Parent" includes a guardian or other person |
|
standing in parental relation. |
|
(2) [(3)] "Steroid" means an anabolic steroid as |
|
described by Section 481.104, Health and Safety Code. |
|
(b) [The league shall adopt rules prohibiting a student from
|
|
participating in an athletic competition sponsored or sanctioned by
|
|
the league unless:
|
|
[(1)
the student agrees not to use steroids and, if the
|
|
student is enrolled in high school, the student submits to random
|
|
testing for the presence of illegal steroids in the student's body,
|
|
in accordance with the program established under Subsection (d);
|
|
and
|
|
[(2)
the league obtains from the student's parent a
|
|
statement signed by the parent and acknowledging that:
|
|
[(A)
the parent's child, if enrolled in high
|
|
school, may be subject to random steroid testing;
|
|
[(B)
state law prohibits possessing, dispensing,
|
|
delivering, or administering a steroid in a manner not allowed by
|
|
state law;
|
|
[(C)
state law provides that bodybuilding,
|
|
muscle enhancement, or the increase of muscle bulk or strength
|
|
through the use of a steroid by a person who is in good health is not
|
|
a valid medical purpose;
|
|
[(D)
only a licensed practitioner with
|
|
prescriptive authority may prescribe a steroid for a person; and
|
|
[(E)
a violation of state law concerning steroids
|
|
is a criminal offense punishable by confinement in jail or
|
|
imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
|
|
[(c)] The league shall: |
|
(1) develop an educational program for students |
|
engaged in extracurricular athletic activities sponsored or |
|
sanctioned by the league, parents of those students, and coaches of |
|
those activities regarding the health effects of steroid use; and |
|
(2) make the program available to school districts. |
|
(c) [(c-1)] A school district shall require that each |
|
district employee who serves as an athletic coach at or above the |
|
seventh grade level for an extracurricular athletic activity |
|
sponsored or sanctioned by the league complete: |
|
(1) the educational program developed by the league |
|
under Subsection (b) [(c)]; or |
|
(2) a comparable program developed by the district or |
|
a private entity with relevant expertise. |
|
[(d)
The league shall adopt rules for the annual
|
|
administration of a steroid testing program under which high school
|
|
students participating in an athletic competition sponsored or
|
|
sanctioned by the league are tested at multiple times throughout
|
|
the year for the presence of steroids in the students' bodies.
The
|
|
testing program must:
|
|
[(1)
require the random testing of a statistically
|
|
significant number of high school students in this state who
|
|
participate in athletic competitions sponsored or sanctioned by the
|
|
league;
|
|
[(2)
provide for the selection of specific students
|
|
described by Subdivision (1) for testing through a process that
|
|
randomly selects students from a single pool consisting of all
|
|
students who participate in any activity for which the league
|
|
sponsors or sanctions athletic competitions;
|
|
[(3)
be administered at approximately 30 percent of
|
|
the high schools in this state that participate in athletic
|
|
competitions sponsored or sanctioned by the league;
|
|
[(4)
provide for a process for confirming any initial
|
|
positive test result through a subsequent test conducted as soon as
|
|
practicable after the initial test, using a sample that was
|
|
obtained at the same time as the sample used for the initial test;
|
|
[(5)
require the testing to be performed only by an
|
|
anabolic steroid testing laboratory with a current certification
|
|
from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
|
|
of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the
|
|
World Anti-Doping Agency, or another appropriate national or
|
|
international certifying organization; and
|
|
[(6)
provide for a period of ineligibility from
|
|
participation in an athletic competition sponsored or sanctioned by
|
|
the league for any student with a confirmed positive test result or
|
|
any student who refuses to submit to random testing.
|
|
[(e)
Results of a steroid test conducted under Subsection
|
|
(d) are confidential and, unless required by court order, may be
|
|
disclosed only to the student and the student's parent and the
|
|
activity directors, principal, and assistant principals of the
|
|
school attended by the student.
|
|
[(f)
From funds already appropriated, the agency shall pay
|
|
the costs of the steroid testing program established under
|
|
Subsection (d).
|
|
[(g)
The league may increase the membership fees required of
|
|
school districts that participate in athletic competitions
|
|
sponsored or sanctioned by the league in an amount necessary to
|
|
offset the cost of league activities under this section.
|
|
[(h)
Subsection (b)(1) does not apply to the use by a
|
|
student of a steroid that is dispensed, prescribed, delivered, and
|
|
administered by a medical practitioner for a valid medical purpose
|
|
and in the course of professional practice, and a student is not
|
|
subject to a period of ineligibility under Subsection (d)(6) on the
|
|
basis of that steroid use.] |
|
Sec. 67.77 [33.209]. INCORPORATION OF SAFETY REGULATIONS. |
|
The league [University Interscholastic League] shall incorporate |
|
the provisions of Sections 33.203-33.207 into the league's |
|
constitution and contest rules. |
|
Sec. 67.78 [67.26]. [UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE;] |
|
VENUE FOR LEAGUE SUITS. Venue for suits brought against the league |
|
[University Interscholastic League] or for suits involving the |
|
interpretation or enforcement of the rules or regulations of the |
|
league [University Interscholastic League] shall be in Travis |
|
County, Texas. When the litigation involves a school district |
|
located within Travis County, it shall be heard by a visiting judge. |
|
SECTION 11. (a) As soon as possible after the effective |
|
date of this Act, the University Interscholastic League shall |
|
modify its rules to reflect the changes made by this Act to Section |
|
33.203, Education Code. |
|
(b) Sections 33.203(c) and (d), Education Code, as added by |
|
this Act, apply only to a "Preparticipation Physical |
|
Evaluation--Physical Examination" form signed on or after the |
|
effective date of this Act. A "Preparticipation Physical |
|
Evaluation--Physical Examination" form signed before the effective |
|
date of this Act 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 12. Section 33.084, Education Code, is repealed. |
|
SECTION 13. (a) Sections 33.203(c) and (d), Education |
|
Code, as added by this Act, take effect immediately if this Act |
|
receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
|
house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
|
If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate |
|
effect, Sections 33.203(c) and (d), Education Code, as added by |
|
this Act, take effect September 1, 2015. |
|
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (a) of this section, |
|
this Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
|
|
|
* * * * * |