| 1 | 1 | | 89R3727 RDR-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Gervin-Hawkins H.B. No. 619 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to the transfer for an athletic participation purpose of a |
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| 10 | 10 | | student from the school district of the student's residence to |
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| 11 | 11 | | another district. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. Section 25.036, Education Code, is amended by |
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| 14 | 14 | | adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (a-1) Any child, other than a high school graduate, who is |
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| 16 | 16 | | younger than 19 years of age and eligible for enrollment in grades 9 |
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| 17 | 17 | | through 12 on September 1 of any school year may transfer not more |
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| 18 | 18 | | than once for an athletic participation purpose from the child's |
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| 19 | 19 | | school district of residence to another district in this state if |
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| 20 | 20 | | both the receiving district and the applicant's parent or person |
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| 21 | 21 | | standing in parental relation to the applicant jointly approve and |
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| 22 | 22 | | timely agree in writing to the transfer for an athletic |
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| 23 | 23 | | participation purpose. The receiving district may not deny a |
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| 24 | 24 | | transfer application under this subsection on the basis of a |
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| 25 | 25 | | child's sex, race, national origin, ancestral language, or |
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| 26 | 26 | | disability. A transfer under this subsection remains effective |
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| 27 | 27 | | until the child graduates from the receiving district, unless the |
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| 28 | 28 | | child withdraws from the receiving district. |
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| 29 | 29 | | SECTION 2. Section 33.081, Education Code, is amended by |
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| 30 | 30 | | adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows: |
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| 31 | 31 | | (b-1) The University Interscholastic League may not |
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| 32 | 32 | | penalize or sanction a student for transferring to a school |
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| 33 | 33 | | district for an athletic participation purpose, or penalize or |
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| 34 | 34 | | sanction the school district that receives the transferring |
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| 35 | 35 | | student, if the transfer meets the requirements of Section |
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| 36 | 36 | | 25.036(a-1). |
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| 37 | 37 | | SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 |
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| 38 | 38 | | school year. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 40 | 40 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 41 | 41 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 42 | 42 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 43 | 43 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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