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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 352 FILED ON: 1/8/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 719
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Jeffrey Rosario Turco
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to fairness in high school athletics.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Jeffrey Rosario Turco19th Suffolk1/8/2025 1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 352 FILED ON: 1/8/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 719
By Representative Turco of Winthrop, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 719) of
Jeffrey Rosario Turco for legislation to authorize schools and students participating in certain
athletic programs to seek arbitration to review athletic programs eligibility decisions. Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to fairness in high school athletics.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 47A the
2following section:-
3 Section 47B. (a) A school or student participating in an athletic program pursuant to
4section 47 may seek arbitration to review athletic program eligibility decisions taken by the
5school committee or its authorized representative.
6 (b) The arbitration shall be conducted by 1 or more arbitrators serving on the American
7Arbitration Association’s National Roster of Arbitrators and Mediators. Each party shall bear the
8cost of its own representation, and all other costs and fees of the arbitration shall be split equally
9among the parties involved. The parties shall only commence arbitration after the exhaustion of
10all remedies internal to the school committee or its authorized representative. The department of
11elementary and secondary education shall promulgate regulations setting all other minimum
12standards for neutral third-party arbitration.