By: Gallego H.B. No. 3694
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to certain requirements of sports officials by the
University Interscholastic League.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 33, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 33.085 to read as follows:
Sec. 33.085. CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS BY INTERSCHOLASTIC
LEAGUES INVOLVING SPORTS OFFICIALS. (a) In this section, "sports
official":
(1) means a person who officiates, judges, or in any
manner enforces contest rules in any official capacity with respect
to an interscholastic, intercollegiate, or other organized amateur
or professional athletic competition; and
(2) includes a referee, umpire, linesman, side judge,
track or field marshal, timekeeper, down marker, or scorekeeper or
any other person involved in supervising competitive play.
(b) CRIMINAL BACKGROUND VERIFICATION REQUIRED. The
University Interscholastic League may refuse to certify a person as
a sports official or may suspend or revoke the certification of any
sports official if the person has been convicted of a felony or
misdemeanor including:
(1) an offense involving moral turpitude;
(2) an offense involving a form of sexual or physical
abuse of a minor or student or other illegal conduct in which the
victim is a minor or student;
(3) a felony offense involving the possession,
transfer, sale, or distribution of or conspiracy to possess,
transfer, sell, or distribute a controlled substance, as defined by
Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, or by 21 U.S.C. Section 801 et
seq.;
(4) an offense involving the illegal transfer,
appropriation, or use of school district funds or other district
property; or
(5) an offense involving an attempt by fraudulent or
unauthorized means to obtain or alter a professional certificate or
license issued under this section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it 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, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2011.