By: Paxton, Campbell S.B. No. 401
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to participation by non-enrolled students in University
Interscholastic League-sponsored activities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 33.0832, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (c) and (e) and adding Subsections (c-2) and
(e-1) to read as follows:
(c) Except as provided by Subsections (c-2) and
[Subsection] (i), a public school that participates in an activity
sponsored by the league shall [may] provide a non-enrolled student,
who otherwise meets league eligibility standards to represent that
school in a league activity, with the opportunity to participate in
the activity on behalf of the school in the same manner that the
school provides the opportunity to participate to students enrolled
in the school.
(c-2) Not later than the date specified under league rule,
the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of
an open-enrollment charter school may adopt a policy declining to
grant non-enrolled students the opportunity to participate in
league activities.
(e) Except as provided by Subsection (e-1), a [A]
non-enrolled student may only participate in a league activity for
the school in the school district that the student would be eligible
to attend based on the student's residential address. A
non-enrolled student who seeks to participate in a league activity
on behalf of a school shall be required to establish minimum proof
of residency acceptable to the district in the same manner as an
applicant to attend a school in the district under Section 25.001.
(e-1) If the school that a non-enrolled student would be
eligible to attend under Subsection (e) is subject to a policy
adopted under Subsection (c-2), the student may participate in a
league activity for the closest school, based on geographic
proximity to the student's residential address, that is not subject
to a policy adopted under Subsection (c-2).
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026
school year.
SECTION 3. 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, 2025.