The Florida Senate

232.61  Governing organization for athletics; adoption of bylaws.--

(1)  The organization shall adopt bylaws that, unless specifically provided by statute, establish eligibility requirements for all students who participate in high school athletic competition in its member schools. The bylaws governing residence and transfer shall allow the student to be eligible in the school in which he or she first enrolls each school year, or makes himself or herself a candidate for an athletic team by engaging in a practice prior to enrolling in any member school. The student shall be eligible in that school so long as he or she remains enrolled in that school. Subsequent eligibility shall be determined and enforced through the organization's bylaws.

(2)  The organization shall adopt bylaws that specifically prohibit the recruiting of students for athletic purposes. The bylaws shall prescribe penalties and an appeals process for athletic recruiting violations.

(3)  The organization shall adopt bylaws that require all students participating in interscholastic athletic competition or who are candidates for an interscholastic athletic team to satisfactorily pass a medical evaluation each year prior to participating in interscholastic athletic competition or engaging in any practice, tryout, workout, or other physical activity associated with the student's candidacy for an interscholastic athletic team. Such medical evaluation can only be administered by a practitioner licensed under the provisions of chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter 460, or s. 464.012, and in good standing with the practitioner's regulatory board. The bylaws shall establish requirements for eliciting a student's medical history and performing the medical evaluation required under this subsection, which shall include minimum standards for the physical capabilities necessary for participation in interscholastic athletic competition as contained in a uniform preparticipation physical evaluation form. The evaluation form shall provide a place for the signature of the practitioner performing the evaluation with an attestation that each examination procedure listed on the form was performed by the practitioner or by someone under the direct supervision of the practitioner. The form shall also contain a place for the practitioner to indicate if a referral to another practitioner was made in lieu of completion of a certain examination procedure. The form shall provide a place for the practitioner to whom the student was referred to complete the remaining sections and attest to that portion of the examination. Practitioners administering medical evaluations pursuant to this section must know the minimum standards established by the organization and certify that the student meets the standards. If the practitioner determines that there are any abnormal findings in the cardiovascular system, the student may not participate unless a subsequent EKG or other cardiovascular assessment indicates that the abnormality will not place the student at risk during such participation. Results of such medical evaluation must be provided to the school. No student shall be eligible to participate in any interscholastic athletic competition or engage in any practice, tryout, workout, or other physical activity associated with the student's candidacy for an interscholastic athletic team until the results of the medical evaluation verifying that the student has satisfactorily passed the evaluation have been received and approved by the school.

(4)  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (3), a student may participate in interscholastic athletic competition or be a candidate for an interscholastic athletic team if the parent or guardian of the student objects in writing to the student undergoing a medical evaluation because such evaluation is contrary to his or her religious tenets or practices, provided that no person or entity shall be held liable for any injury or other damages suffered by such student.

History.--s. 2, ch. 97-53; s. 2, ch. 2000-121; s. 90, ch. 2001-277.