WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 219
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Chapter 219
(House Bill 971)
AN ACT concerning
Public Schools Washington County – Interscholastic Athletics – Student
Eligibility Waiver and School Classification
FOR the purpose of authorizing a county board of education the Washington County Board
of Education to waive a certain eligibility requirement for participation in
interscholastic athletics at a certain Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic
Association member school for students who attend certain public high schools;
requiring a county superintendent of schools the Washington County
Superintendent of Schools to report to the Maryland Public Secondary Schools
Athletic Association the school enrollment of certain schools in a certain manner;
and generally relating to interscholastic athletics at public schools in Washington
County.
BY adding to
Article – Education
Section 7–135 4–142
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – Education
7–135. 4–142.
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS
INDICATED.
(2) “MEMBER SCHOOL ” MEANS A PUBLIC SCHOO L THAT IS A MEMBER
OF THE MARYLAND PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
(3) “ZONED HIGH SCHOOL ” MEANS THE PUBLIC HIG H SCHOOL THAT
A STUDENT WOULD BE R EQUIRED TO ATTEND UN DER THE REGULATIONS OF THE
COUNTY BOARD .
(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
(C) FOR A STUDENT TO PART ICIPATE IN INTERSCHO LASTIC ATHLETICS AT
THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVE L UNDER COMAR 13A.06.03.02, A COUNTY BOARD THE Ch. 219 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MAY WAIVE THE ELIGIB ILITY
REQUIREMENT THAT THE STUDENT BE ENROLLED AT AND ATTEND A MEMB ER
SCHOOL IF:
(1) THE STUDENT ATTENDS A PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY THAT
IS NOT THE STUDENT ’S ZONED HIGH SCHOOL ;
(2) THE PUBLIC SCHOOL THE STUDENT ATTENDS UNDE R ITEM (1) OF
THIS SUBSECTION DOES NOT HAVE AN INTERSCH OLASTIC ATHLETICS PR OGRAM;
AND
(3) THE STUDENT MEETS ALL OTHER ELIGIBILITY RE QUIREMENTS
ESTABLISHED BY THE C OUNTY BOARD AND THE MARYLAND PUBLIC SECONDARY
SCHOOLS ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
(C) (D) A STUDENT WHO RECEIVES AN ELIGIBILITY WAIVE R UNDER
SUBSECTION (B) (C) OF THIS SECTION MAY ONLY PARTICIPATE IN INTERSCHOLASTIC
ATHLETICS AT THE STU DENT’S ZONED HIGH SCHOOL .
(D) (E) FOR PURPOSES OF DETER MINING THE CLASSIFIC ATION OF
MEMBER SCHOOLS FOR A THLETIC CONTESTS UND ER COMAR 13A.06.03.06, THE
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT WASHINGTON COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
SHALL REPORT TO THE MARYLAND PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS ATHLETIC
ASSOCIATION AS THE AC TUAL ENROLLMENT OF T HE MEMBER SCHOOL :
(1) THE ACTUAL SCHOOL ENR OLLMENT OF THE MEMBE R SCHOOL IN
GRADES 9, 10, AND 11 AS OF SEPTEMBER 30 OF EACH EVEN–NUMBERED YEAR ; PLUS
(2) THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS AUTHORIZED TO
PARTICIPATE IN INTER SCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS AT THE MEMBER SCHOOL UNDER
SUBSECTION (B) (C) OF THIS SECTION.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
1, 2024.
Approved by the Governor, April 25, 2024.