83R26313 PAM-F
By: Thompson of Brazoria, Larson, Ritter, H.B. No. 1775
Bonnen of Brazoria, Raymond, et al.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authority of the University Interscholastic League
regarding activities involving sports officials.
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. AUTHORITY OF UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC
LEAGUE REGARDING ACTIVITIES INVOLVING SPORTS OFFICIALS. (a) In
this section:
(1) "League" means the University Interscholastic
League.
(2) "Sports official" means a person who officiates,
judges, or in any manner enforces contest rules in any official
capacity with respect to and during the course of an
interscholastic athletic team competition and who is a member of a
league-recognized local chapter or association of sports
officials. The term includes a referee, umpire, linesman, judge,
or any other person similarly involved in supervising competitive
play. The term does not include a league board member or a league
official who is acting in an official capacity to supervise,
administer, or enforce the league constitution or league contest
rules.
(b) The league may require a sports official, as a condition
of eligibility to officiate a contest sponsored by the league, to:
(1) be registered with the league and comply with the
registration requirements of Subsection (c);
(2) have completed initial and continuing education
programs regarding league rules;
(3) be a member in good standing of a local chapter or
association of sports officials recognized by the league for that
purpose; and
(4) agree to abide by league rules, including fee
schedules and travel reimbursement guidelines for payment by school
districts or open-enrollment charter schools to a sports official.
(c) In registering with the league, a sports official must
be required to provide directory information required by the league
and submit to a criminal background check.
(d) The league may not charge a sports official who
completes a program under Subsection (b)(2) a fee for more than one
program described by Subsection (b)(2).
(e) The league may charge and collect a registration fee
only to defray the cost of registering sports officials and shall
post the amount of the fee on the league's Internet website and make
the information available at other places the league determines
appropriate. The amount of the fee may not exceed the amount
reasonably determined by the league to be necessary to cover the
cost of administering registration.
(f) The league may revoke or suspend the league registration
of a sports official determined by the league to have violated the
provisions of the league constitution or contest rules governing
sports officials or other league policy applicable to sports
officials. Before the league may take action to revoke or suspend a
sports official's registration, the league shall notify and consult
with the local chapter or association of sports officials of which
the sports official is a member. The local chapter or association
may, on or before the 15th day after the date notice is received
from the league, take action to adjudicate the alleged violation.
If after the 15th day after the date notice is received from the
league the local chapter or association has failed to take action
against the sports official or takes action that the league finds to
be insufficient, the league may take action against the sports
official. The league shall adopt rules to provide a sports official
with the opportunity for an appeals process before the league
revokes or suspends the sports official's registration. In adopting
rules under this subsection, the league shall make a determination
of the actions and subsequent sanctions that would be considered
sufficient under this subsection.
(g) The league may not sponsor or organize or attempt to
sponsor or organize any association of sports officials in which
the majority of the membership is composed of sports officials who
officiate team sports.
(h) The league may set rates or fee schedules payable by a
school district or open-enrollment charter school to a sports
official.
(i) Before the league may take any action that amends rules
related to the activities of sports officials, other than an action
against an individual sports official under Subsection (f), the
league must submit the proposed action for public review and
comment, including:
(1) notifying registered sports officials of the
proposed action by e-mail not later than the 30th day before the
date set for action on the proposal; and
(2) posting the proposal on the league's Internet
website for at least 30 consecutive days before the date set for
action on the proposal.
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, 2013.