The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Education Pre-K -12
BILL: SB 248
INTRODUCER: Senator Simon
SUBJECT: Private School Student Participation in Interscholastic and Intrascholastic Extracurricular
Sports
DATE: March 10, 2025
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Palazesi Bouck ED Pre-meeting
2. JU
3. RC
I. Summary:
SB 248 expands the ability of private school students to participate in interscholastic or
intrascholastic athletics at Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) member schools.
The bill also removes the requirement that only students enrolled in non-FHSAA member private
schools with 200 or fewer students are eligible to participate in FHSAA interscholastic or
intrascholastic activities at an FHSAA public school in a given academic year.
The act takes effect July 1, 2025.
II. Present Situation:
The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA)
The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) is designated as a governing nonprofit
organization of athletics in Florida public schools. Any public or private high school or middle
school in this state, including charter schools, virtual schools, and home education cooperatives,
may become a member of the FHSAA and participate in the activities of the FHSAA; however,
membership in the FHSAA is not mandatory for any school.
1
The FHSAA is required to adopt
bylaws that:
2
• Establish eligibility requirements.
• Prohibit recruiting.
• Require all students to pass a medical evaluation each year.
• Regulate people who conduct investigations on behalf of the FHSAA.
• Establish sanctions for coaches who have committed major violations of the FHSAA bylaws.
1
Section 1006.20(1), F.S.
2
Section 1006.20(2), F.S.
REVISED: BILL: SB 248 Page 2
• Establish the process and standards by which FHSAA determines eligibility.
• Adopt guidelines to educate athletic coaches, officials, administrators, and student athletes
and their parents of the risk of concussion and head injury.
• Adopt bylaws that require each student athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or
head injury in a practice or competition to be immediately removed from the activity.
• Adopt bylaws for the establishment and duties of a sports medicine advisory committee.
Each year, the FHSAA sponsors over 3,500 championship series games, through which 144
teams, and 294 individuals are crowned state champions in 32 sports. Over 800,000 students
annually participate in these athletic programs.
3
Florida law authorizes home education program students and students who attend a charter
school or the Florida Virtual School to participate in interscholastic or intrascholastic activities at
a public school or at a private school. The student must meet requirements related to educational
progress, must meet the same standards of acceptance, behavior, and performance that are
required of other students in extracurricular activities, and must register with the school of his or
her intent to participate.
4
Private School Student Participation in the FHSAA
The FHSAA is required to work with each district school board and its member private schools
to facilitate a program to allow a middle school or high school student who attends a private
school to be eligible to participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic sport at a
member public school if:
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• The private school in which the student is enrolled is not a member of the FHSAA.
• The private school student meets the guidelines for the conduct of the program established by
the FHSAA’s board of directors and the district school board or FHSAA member private
school.
The parents of a private school student participating in an FHSAA interscholastic or
intrascholastic activity are responsible for transporting their child to and from the member school
where the student participates. Each year, the private school student may only participate at the
member school in which they registered, and the student must apply to participate in the program
through the FHSAA. Only students enrolled in non-FHSAA member private schools with 200 or
fewer students are eligible to participate at an FHSAA member school in any given academic
year.
6
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
SB 248 amends s. 1006.15, F.S., to authorize a private school student to participate in Florida
High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) interscholastic or intrascholastic sports at an
FHSAA member public school if his or her private school does not offer the sport, regardless of
3
Florida High School Athletic Association, About FHSAA, available at https://fhsaa.com/sports/2020/1/16/About.aspx, (last
visited Mar. 5, 2025).
4
Section 1006.15(2)(c)-(e), F.S.
5
Section 1006.15(8)(a), F.S.
6
Section 1006.15(8)(b)(c)(f)(g), F.S. BILL: SB 248 Page 3
the private school's FHSAA membership status. The bill also removes the requirement that only
students who are enrolled in non-FHSAA member private schools consisting of 200 or fewer
students are eligible to participate in FHSAA interscholastic or intrascholastic activities in any
given academic year.
The act takes effect July 1, 2025.
IV. Constitutional Issues:
A. Municipality/County Mandates Restrictions:
None.
B. Public Records/Open Meetings Issues:
None.
C. Trust Funds Restrictions:
None.
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None.
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
B. Private Sector Impact:
None.
C. Government Sector Impact:
This bill does not have a fiscal impact on state revenues or expenditures.
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None.
VII. Related Issues:
None. BILL: SB 248 Page 4
VIII. Statutes Affected:
This bill substantially amends s. 1006.15 of the Florida Statutes:
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
None.
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.