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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to interscholastic and intrascholastic

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sports; amending s. 1006.15, F.S.; requiring the Florida

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High School Athletic Association, in cooperation with

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specified district school boards, to facilitate a pilot

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program in which a middle school student or a high school

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student in a private school may participate in athletics

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at a public school; providing conditions for such

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participation; requiring the association's board of

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directors and the district school boards to establish

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guidelines for conducting the pilot program; specifying

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requirements and restrictions; requiring the association

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and district school boards to submit to the Governor and

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Legislature a copy of established guidelines and a report

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on the progress of the pilot program; providing for repeal

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of the pilot program unless reviewed and reenacted by the

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Legislature; providing an effective date.

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1.  Subsection (8) is added to section 1006.15,

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Florida Statutes, to read:

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     1006.15  Student standards for participation in

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interscholastic and intrascholastic extracurricular student

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activities; regulation.--

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     (8)(a) The Florida High School Athletic Association

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(FHSAA), in cooperation with the district school boards of

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Bradford County, Duval County, and Nassau County, shall

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facilitate a 2-year pilot program during the 2008-2009 and 2009-

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2010 academic years in which a middle school or high school

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student who attends a private school shall be eligible to

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participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic sport at a

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public high school, a public middle school, or a 6-12 public

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school that is zoned for the physical address at which the

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student resides if:

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     1. The private school in which the student is enrolled is

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not a member of the FHSAA and does not offer an interscholastic

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or intrascholastic athletic program.

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     2. The private school student meets the guidelines for the

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conduct of the pilot program established by the FHSAA's board of

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directors and the participating district school boards. At a

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minimum, such guidelines shall provide:

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     a. A deadline for each sport by which the private school

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student's parents must register with the public school in writing

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their intent for their child to participate at that school in the

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sport.

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     b. Requirements for a private school student to

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participate, including, but not limited to, meeting the same

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standards of eligibility, acceptance, behavior, educational

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progress, and performance that apply to other students

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participating in interscholastic or intrascholastic sports at a

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public school or FHSAA member private school.

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     (b) The parents of a private school student participating

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in a public school sport under this subsection are responsible

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for transporting their child to and from the public school at

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which the student participates. The private school the student

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attends, the public school at which the student participates in a

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sport, the district school board, and the FHSSA are exempt from

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civil liability arising from any injury that occurs to the

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student during such transportation.

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     (c) For each academic year, a private school student may

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only participate at the public school in which the student is

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first registered under sub-subparagraph (a)2.a. or makes himself

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or herself a candidate for an athletic team by engaging in a

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practice.

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     (d) The FHSAA and participating district school boards

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shall submit to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and

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the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

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     1. A copy of the guidelines established under subparagraph

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(a)2. for the pilot program no later than August 1, 2008.

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     2. A report on the progress of the pilot program no later

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than January 1, 2010. The report shall include the number of

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students registered under sub-subparagraph (a)2.a., the number of

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students found eligible to participate in the pilot program, the

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number of students who transfer to the public schools at which

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the students participated under the pilot program, implementation

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issues experienced with the pilot program, and recommendations on

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how the pilot program may be improved and expanded to include

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other counties.

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     (e) This subsection shall stand repealed on June 30, 2010,

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unless reviewed and reenacted by the Legislature.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.