HB 545 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0545-00
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to Florida High School Athletic 2
Association student eligibility requirements; amending 3
s. 1006.20, F.S.; requiring the Florida High School 4
Athletic Association to adopt bylaws prohibiting a 5
student who is sentenced as an adult for specified 6
offenses from participating in certain competitions; 7
providing applicability; providing an effective date. 8
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the St ate of Florida: 10
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Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 12
1006.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 13
1006.20 Athletics in public K -12 schools.— 14
(2) ADOPTION OF BYLAWS, POLICIES, OR GUIDELINES. — 15
(a) The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws th at, unless specifically 16
provided otherwise by statute, establish eligibility 17
requirements for all students who participate in high school 18
athletic competition in its member schools. Such bylaws must 19
prohibit a student who has been sentenced as an adult for a 20
homicide, sexual battery, or lewd or lascivious offense from 21
participating in high school athletic competition in its member 22
schools. Such prohibition applies to a student regardless of the 23
disposition of his or her case, including adjudication of guilt , 24
withholding of adjudication, or sentencing as a youthful 25
HB 545 2024
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb0545-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
offender. The bylaws governing residence and transfer must allow 26
the student to be immediately eligible in the school in which he 27
or she first enrolls each school year or the school in which the 28
student makes himself or herself a candidate for an athletic 29
team by engaging in a practice before enrolling in the school. 30
The bylaws must also allow the student to be immediately 31
eligible in the school to which the student has transferred. The 32
student remains eligible in that school so long as he or she 33
remains enrolled in that school. Subsequent eligibility must be 34
determined and enforced through the FHSAA's bylaws. Requirements 35
governing eligibility and transfer between member schools must 36
be applied similarly to public school students and private 37
school students. The commissioner may direct the FHSAA to revise 38
its bylaws at any time. 39
1. Any changes to the FHSAA's bylaws must be ratified by 40
the State Board of Education. 41
2. A bylaw adopted by the FHSAA board of directors may not 42
take effect until it is ratified by the State Board of 43
Education. 44
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 45