Florida Senate - 2015 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. SB 1480
Ì783286IÎ783286
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
04/15/2015 .
.
.
.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
The Committee on Education Pre-K - 12 (Benacquisto) recommended
the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. Section 1006.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to
6 read:
7 1006.20 Athletics in public K-12 schools.—
8 (1) GOVERNING NONPROFIT ASSOCIATION ORGANIZATION.—The
9 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) is designated
10 as the governing nonprofit association for purposes of
11 membership in the National Federation of State High School
12 Associations organization of athletics in Florida public
13 schools. Following completion of each operational audit
14 conducted pursuant to s. 1006.19, the Commissioner of Education
15 shall review the FHSAA’s performance in governing
16 interscholastic athletics in compliance with this part,
17 including the guiding principles for student eligibility for
18 extracurricular activities. If, at any time, the FHSAA fails to
19 meet the provisions of this part section, the commissioner, with
20 the approval of the State Board of Education, shall designate
21 another a nonprofit association organization to govern
22 interscholastic athletics in this state and serve as Florida’s
23 voting member association of the National Federation of State
24 High School Associations athletics with the approval of the
25 State Board of Education. The FHSAA is not a state agency as
26 defined in s. 120.52 but is. The FHSAA shall be subject to ss.
27 1006.15-1006.19. Any special event fees, sanctioning fees,
28 including third-party sanctioning fees, or contest receipts
29 collected annually by the FHSAA may not exceed its actual costs
30 to perform the function or duty that is the subject of or
31 justification for the fee the provisions of s. 1006.19. The
32 FHSAA shall offer spectators seeking admission to athletic
33 competitions the option of purchasing a single-day pass or a
34 multiple-day pass that is at a cost below that which one would
35 pay on a per-event basis for the same number of contests A
36 private school that wishes to engage in high school athletic
37 competition with a public high school may become a member of the
38 FHSAA. Any high school in the state, including private schools,
39 traditional public schools, charter schools, virtual schools,
40 and home education cooperatives, may become a member of the
41 FHSAA and participate in the activities of the FHSAA. However,
42 Membership in the FHSAA is not mandatory for any school. FHSAA
43 shall allow a school the option of joining the association as a
44 full-time member or on a per sport basis and may not prohibit or
45 discourage any school from simultaneously maintaining membership
46 in FHSAA and another athletic association. The FHSAA may not
47 deny or discourage interscholastic competition between its
48 member schools and nonmember non-FHSAA member Florida schools,
49 including members of another athletic association governing
50 organization, and may not take any retributory or discriminatory
51 action against any of its member schools that participate in
52 interscholastic competition with nonmember non-FHSAA member
53 Florida schools. The FHSAA may not unreasonably withhold its
54 approval of an application to become an affiliate member of the
55 National Federation of State High School Associations submitted
56 by any other association organization that governs
57 interscholastic athletic competition in this state which meets
58 the requirements of this section. The commissioner may identify
59 other associations that govern interscholastic athletic
60 competition in compliance with this section The bylaws of the
61 FHSAA are the rules by which high school athletic programs in
62 its member schools, and the students who participate in them,
63 are governed, unless otherwise specifically provided by statute.
64 For the purposes of this section, “high school” includes grades
65 6 through 12.
66 (2) STUDENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS; RECRUITING ADOPTION
67 OF BYLAWS, POLICIES; ELIGIBILITY DISPUTE RESOLUTION, OR
68 GUIDELINES.—The FHSAA shall:
69 (a) The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws that, unless specifically
70 provided by statute, Establish eligibility requirements for all
71 students who participate in high school athletic competition in
72 its member schools. A The bylaws governing residence and
73 transfer shall allow the student is to be eligible in the school
74 in which he or she first enrolls each school year or the school
75 in which the student makes himself or herself a candidate for an
76 athletic team by engaging in a practice before prior to
77 enrolling in the school. A student who transfers The bylaws
78 shall also allow the student to be eligible in the school to
79 which the student has transferred during the school year is
80 eligible in the school to which he or she transfers if the
81 transfer is made by a deadline established by the FHSAA, which
82 may not be prior to the date authorized for the beginning of
83 practice for the sport. These transfers shall be allowed
84 pursuant to the district school board policies in the case of
85 transfer to a public school or pursuant to the private school
86 policies in the case of transfer to a private school. The
87 student shall be eligible in that school so long as he or she
88 remains enrolled in that school. Subsequent eligibility shall be
89 determined and enforced through the FHSAA’s bylaws. Requirements
90 governing eligibility and transfer between member schools shall
91 be applied similarly to public school students and private
92 school students.
93 (b) The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws that specifically Prohibit
94 the recruiting of students for athletic purposes and. The bylaws
95 shall prescribe penalties and an appeals process for athletic
96 recruiting violations. If it is determined that a school has
97 recruited a student in violation of FHSAA bylaws, the FHSAA may
98 require the school to participate in a higher classification for
99 the sport in which the recruited student competes for a minimum
100 of one classification cycle, in addition to any other
101 appropriate fine and sanction imposed on the school, its
102 coaches, or adult representatives who commit violate recruiting
103 violations rules. A student may not be declared ineligible based
104 on a recruiting violation only if of recruiting rules unless the
105 student or parent has committed an act specified in s.
106 1006.15(4)(b)1.b. or the FHSAA has imposed sanctions against the
107 individuals or member school engaging in recruiting and the
108 student or the parent has committed an act specified in s.
109 1006.15(4)(b)1.c. The FHSAA may not limit the competition of a
110 student athlete prospectively for a rule violation by his or her
111 school, the school’s coach, or the student athlete’s adult
112 representative. The FHSAA may not punish a student athlete for
113 an eligibility or recruiting violation perpetrated by a
114 teammate, coach, or administrator. A contest may not be
115 forfeited for an inadvertent eligibility violation unless the
116 coach or a school administrator should have known of the
117 violation. Contests may not be forfeited for other eligibility
118 violations or recruiting violations in excess of the number of
119 contests from which the coaches and adult representatives
120 responsible for the violations are prospectively suspended. The
121 mass distribution of untargeted mailings, electronic mailings,
122 or printed guides or booklets by or on behalf of a member school
123 which include detailed information regarding the member school’s
124 interscholastic athletic programs may not be considered
125 violations of the FHSAA’s policies falsified any enrollment or
126 eligibility document or accepted any benefit or any promise of
127 benefit if such benefit is not generally available to the
128 school’s students or family members or is based in any way on
129 athletic interest, potential, or performance.
130 (c) The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws that Require all students
131 participating in interscholastic athletic competition or who are
132 candidates for an interscholastic athletic team to
133 satisfactorily pass a medical evaluation each year before prior
134 to participating in interscholastic athletic competition or
135 engaging in any practice, tryout, workout, or other physical
136 activity associated with the student’s candidacy for an
137 interscholastic athletic team. Such medical evaluation may be
138 administered only by a practitioner licensed under chapter 458,
139 chapter 459, chapter 460, or s. 464.012, and in good standing
140 with the practitioner’s regulatory board. The FHSAA bylaws shall
141 establish requirements for eliciting a student’s medical history
142 and performing the medical evaluation required under this
143 paragraph, which shall include a physical assessment of the
144 student’s physical capabilities to participate in
145 interscholastic athletic competition as contained in a uniform
146 preparticipation physical evaluation and history form. The
147 evaluation form shall incorporate the recommendations of the
148 American Heart Association for participation in cardiovascular
149 screening and shall provide a place for the signature of the
150 practitioner performing the evaluation with an attestation that
151 each examination procedure listed on the form was performed by
152 the practitioner or by someone under the direct supervision of
153 the practitioner. The form shall also contain a place for the
154 practitioner to indicate if a referral to another practitioner
155 was made in lieu of completion of a certain examination
156 procedure. The form shall provide a place for the practitioner
157 to whom the student was referred to complete the remaining
158 sections and attest to that portion of the examination. The
159 preparticipation physical evaluation form shall advise students
160 to complete a cardiovascular assessment and shall include
161 information concerning alternative cardiovascular evaluation and
162 diagnostic tests. Results of such medical evaluation must be
163 provided to the school. A No student is not shall be eligible to
164 participate in any interscholastic athletic competition or
165 engage in any practice, tryout, workout, or other physical
166 activity associated with the student’s candidacy for an
167 interscholastic athletic team until the results of the medical
168 evaluation are have been received and approved by the school.
169 (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (c), allow
170 a student to may participate in interscholastic athletic
171 competition or be a candidate for an interscholastic athletic
172 team if the parent of the student objects in writing to the
173 student undergoing a medical evaluation because such evaluation
174 is contrary to his or her religious tenets or practices.
175 However, in such case, there shall be no liability on the part
176 of any person or entity in a position to otherwise rely on the
177 results of such medical evaluation for any damages resulting
178 from the student’s injury or death arising directly from the
179 student’s participation in interscholastic athletics where an
180 undisclosed medical condition that would have been revealed in
181 the medical evaluation is a proximate cause of the injury or
182 death.
183 (e) The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws that Regulate persons who
184 conduct investigations on behalf of the FHSAA. The bylaws shall
185 include provisions that require An investigator must to:
186 1. Undergo level 2 background screening under s. 435.04,
187 establishing that the investigator has not committed any
188 disqualifying offense listed in s. 435.04, unless the
189 investigator can provide proof of compliance with level 2
190 screening standards submitted within the previous 5 years to
191 meet any professional licensure requirements, provided:
192 a. The investigator has not had a break in service from a
193 position that requires level 2 screening for more than 90 days;
194 and
195 b. The investigator submits, under penalty of perjury, an
196 affidavit verifying that the investigator has not committed any
197 disqualifying offense listed in s. 435.04 and is in full
198 compliance with this paragraph.
199 2. Be appointed as an investigator by the FHSAA executive
200 director.
201 3. Carry a photo identification card that shows the FHSAA
202 name and, logo, and the investigator’s official title.
203 4. Adhere to the following guidelines:
204 a. Investigate only those alleged violations assigned by
205 the FHSAA executive director or the board of directors.
206 b. Conduct interviews on Monday through Friday between the
207 hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. only, unless previously agreed to by
208 the interviewee.
209 c. Allow the parent of any student being interviewed to be
210 present during the interview.
211 d. Search residences or other private areas only with the
212 permission of the FHSAA executive director and the written
213 consent of the student’s parent and only with a parent or a
214 representative of the parent present.
215 (f) The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws that Establish sanctions
216 for coaches who have committed major violations of the FHSAA’s
217 bylaws and policies.
218 1. Major violations include, but are not limited to,
219 knowingly allowing an ineligible student to participate in a
220 contest representing a member school in an interscholastic
221 contest or committing a violation of the FHSAA’s recruiting or
222 sports ethics sportsmanship policies.
223 2. Sanctions placed upon an individual coach may include,
224 but are not limited to, prohibiting or suspending the coach from
225 coaching, participating in, or attending any athletic activity
226 sponsored, recognized, or sanctioned by the FHSAA and the member
227 school for which the coach committed the violation. If a coach
228 is sanctioned by the FHSAA and the coach transfers to another
229 member school, those sanctions remain in full force and effect
230 during the term of the sanction.
231 3. If a member school is assessed a financial penalty as a
232 result of a coach committing a major violation, the coach shall
233 reimburse the member school before being allowed to coach,
234 participate in, or attend any athletic activity sponsored,
235 recognized, or sanctioned by the FHSAA and a member school.
236 4. The FHSAA shall establish a due process procedure for
237 coaches sanctioned under this paragraph, consistent with the
238 appeals procedures set forth in subsection (7).
239 (g) Provide a process for the resolution of student
240 eligibility disputes. The FHSAA shall provide an opportunity to
241 resolve eligibility issues through an informal conference
242 procedure. The FHSAA must provide written notice to the student
243 athlete, parent, and member school stating specific findings of
244 fact that support a determination of ineligibility. The student
245 athlete must request an informal conference if he or she intends
246 to contest the charges. The informal conference must be held
247 within 10 days after receipt of the student athlete’s request.
248 If the eligibility dispute is not resolved at the informal
249 conference, the FHSAA shall provide a process for the timely and
250 cost-effective resolution of an eligibility dispute using a
251 neutral third party, including the use of retired or former
252 judges, mediation, or arbitration. The neutral third party shall
253 be selected by the parent of the student athlete from a list
254 maintained by the FHSAA. A final determination regarding the
255 eligibility dispute must be issued no later than 30 days after
256 the informal conference. The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws
257 establishing the process for resolving eligibility disputes must
258 and standards by which FHSAA determinations of eligibility are
259 made. Such bylaws shall provide that:
260 1. Ineligibility must be established by clear and
261 convincing evidence.;
262 2. Student athletes, parents, and schools must have notice
263 of the initiation of any investigation or other inquiry into
264 eligibility and may present, to the investigator and to the
265 individual or body making the eligibility determination, any
266 information or evidence that is credible, persuasive, and of a
267 kind reasonably prudent persons rely upon in the conduct of
268 serious affairs.;
269 3. An investigator may not determine matters of eligibility
270 but must submit information and evidence to the individual or
271 body designated by the FHSAA executive director or a person
272 designated by the executive director or by the board of
273 directors for an unbiased and objective determination of
274 eligibility.; and
275 4. A determination of ineligibility must be made in
276 writing, setting forth the findings of fact and specific
277 violation upon which the decision is based.
278 5. Any proceedings concerning student athlete eligibility
279 must be held in the county in which the student athlete resides
280 and may be conducted by telephone, videoconference, or other
281 electronic means.
282 6. A student athlete may not be declared ineligible to
283 participate in athletic competition until a final decision is
284 issued by the neutral third party unless the determination of
285 ineligibility is based on s. 1006.15(4)(b)1.a., e., or f. It is
286 the responsibility of the member school to assess the facts
287 underlying the eligibility dispute and any potential penalties
288 that may result from a determination of ineligibility in
289 deciding whether to allow the student athlete to continue to
290 participate before a final eligibility determination.
291 (h) In lieu of bylaws adopted under paragraph (g), the
292 FHSAA may adopt bylaws providing as a minimum the procedural
293 safeguards of ss. 120.569 and 120.57, making appropriate
294 provision for appointment of unbiased and qualified hearing
295 officers.
296 (i) The FHSAA bylaws may not limit the competition of
297 student athletes prospectively for rule violations of their
298 school or its coaches or their adult representatives. The FHSAA
299 bylaws may not unfairly punish student athletes for eligibility
300 or recruiting violations perpetrated by a teammate, coach, or
301 administrator. Contests may not be forfeited for inadvertent
302 eligibility violations unless the coach or a school
303 administrator should have known of the violation. Contests may
304 not be forfeited for other eligibility violations or recruiting
305 violations in excess of the number of contests that the coaches
306 and adult representatives responsible for the violations are
307 prospectively suspended.
308 (h)(j) The FHSAA shall Adopt guidelines to educate athletic
309 coaches, officials, administrators, and student athletes and
310 their parents about of the nature and risk of concussion and
311 head injury.
312 (i)(k) The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws or policies that
313 Require the parent of a student who is participating in
314 interscholastic athletic competition or who is a candidate for
315 an interscholastic athletic team to sign and return an informed
316 consent that explains the nature and risk of concussion and head
317 injury, including the risk of continuing to play after
318 concussion or head injury, each year before participating in
319 interscholastic athletic competition or engaging in any
320 practice, tryout, workout, or other physical activity associated
321 with the student’s candidacy for an interscholastic athletic
322 team.
323 (j)(l) The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws or policies that
324 Require each student athlete who is suspected of sustaining a
325 concussion or head injury in a practice or competition to be
326 immediately removed from the activity. A student athlete who has
327 been removed from an activity may not return to practice or
328 competition until the student submits to the school a written
329 medical clearance to return stating that the student athlete no
330 longer exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a
331 concussion or other head injury. Medical clearance must be
332 authorized by the appropriate health care practitioner trained
333 in the diagnosis, evaluation, and management of concussions as
334 defined by the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee of the Florida
335 High School Athletic Association.
336 (k)(m) Establish The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws for the
337 establishment and duties of a sports medicine advisory committee
338 composed of the following members:
339 1. Eight physicians licensed under chapter 458 or chapter
340 459, with at least one member licensed under chapter 459.
341 2. One chiropractor licensed under chapter 460.
342 3. One podiatrist licensed under chapter 461.
343 4. One dentist licensed under chapter 466.
344 5. Three athletic trainers licensed under part XIII of
345 chapter 468.
346 6. One member who is a current or retired head coach of a
347 high school in the state.
348 (l) Adopt guidelines, provide resources, and develop a
349 training course to promote sports ethics in interscholastic
350 athletics and require each member school to:
351 1. Establish policies that promote sports ethics in its
352 interscholastic athletic programs.
353 2. Educate, on a continuing basis, student athletes,
354 athletic coaches, and administrators regarding these policies.
355 3. Annually administer the sports ethics training course to
356 student athletes, athletic coaches, and administrators.
357 4. Annually certify compliance with this paragraph by a
358 deadline established by the FHSAA.
359
360 In developing the sports ethics training course, the FHSAA may
361 provide for multiple modes of delivery, including in-person
362 seminars or videoconferencing, webinars, or other electronic
363 means.
364 (3) GOVERNING STRUCTURE OF THE FHSAA.—
365 (a) The FHSAA shall operate as a representative democracy
366 in which the sovereign authority is within its member schools
367 and the parents of students participating in interscholastic
368 athletics within those schools. Except as provided in this
369 section, the FHSAA shall govern its affairs through its bylaws.
370 (b) Each member school, on its annual application for
371 membership, shall name its official representative to the FHSAA.
372 This representative must be either the school principal or his
373 or her designee. That designee must either be an assistant
374 principal or athletic director housed within that same school.
375 (c) The governing board of the FHSAA shall consist of 16
376 members composed proportionately of representatives from
377 traditional public schools, public schools of choice, private
378 schools, home education cooperatives, and parents of student
379 athletes who are enrolled in such schools or programs. The
380 governing board must also be constituted in a manner that
381 provides for equitable representation among the various regions
382 of the state where the association’s member schools are located.
383 Any additional policymaking body established by the FHSAA must
384 provide for proportionate representation of schools, programs,
385 parents, and regions of the state as described in this paragraph
386 FHSAA’s membership shall be divided along existing county lines
387 into four contiguous and compact administrative regions, each
388 containing an equal or nearly equal number of member schools to
389 ensure equitable representation on the FHSAA’s board of
390 directors, representative assembly, and appeals committees.
391 (d) The FHSAA shall annually require each member of the
392 governing board or other policymaking body to attend nonprofit
393 governance training, which must include government in the
394 sunshine, conflicts of interest, ethics, and student athlete
395 centered decisionmaking consistent with the guiding principles
396 for participation in extracurricular activities under s.
397 1006.15.
398 (4) BOARD OF DIRECTORS.—
399 (a) The executive authority of the FHSAA shall be vested in
400 its board of directors. Any entity that appoints members to the
401 board of directors shall examine the ethnic and demographic
402 composition of the board when selecting candidates for
403 appointment and shall, to the greatest extent possible, make
404 appointments that reflect state demographic and population
405 trends. The board of directors shall be composed of 16 persons,
406 as follows:
407 1. Four public member school representatives, one elected
408 from among its public school representative members within each
409 of the four administrative regions.
410 2. Four nonpublic member school representatives, one
411 elected from among its nonpublic school representative members
412 within each of the four administrative regions.
413 3. Three representatives appointed by the commissioner, one
414 appointed from the two northernmost administrative regions and
415 one appointed from the two southernmost administrative regions.
416 The third representative shall be appointed to balance the board
417 for diversity or state population trends, or both.
418 4. Two district school superintendents, one elected from
419 the two northernmost administrative regions by the members in
420 those regions and one elected from the two southernmost
421 administrative regions by the members in those regions.
422 5. Two district school board members, one elected from the
423 two northernmost administrative regions by the members in those
424 regions and one elected from the two southernmost administrative
425 regions by the members in those regions.
426 6. The commissioner or his or her designee from the
427 department executive staff.
428 (b) A quorum of the board of directors shall consist of
429 nine members.
430 (c) The board of directors shall elect a president and a
431 vice president from among its members. These officers shall also
432 serve as officers of the FHSAA.
433 (d) Members of the board of directors shall serve terms of
434 3 years and are eligible to succeed themselves only once. A
435 member of the board of directors, other than the commissioner or
436 his or her designee, may serve a maximum of 6 consecutive years.
437 The FHSAA’s bylaws shall establish a rotation of terms to ensure
438 that a majority of the members’ terms do not expire
439 concurrently.
440 (e) The authority and duties of the board of directors,
441 acting as a body and in accordance with the FHSAA’s bylaws, are
442 as follows:
443 1. To act as the incorporated FHSAA’s board of directors
444 and to fulfill its obligations as required by the FHSAA’s
445 charter and articles of incorporation.
446 2. To establish such guidelines, regulations, policies, and
447 procedures as are authorized by the bylaws.
448 3. To employ an FHSAA executive director, who shall have
449 the authority to waive the bylaws of the FHSAA in order to
450 comply with statutory changes.
451 4. To levy annual dues and other fees and to set the
452 percentage of contest receipts to be collected by the FHSAA.
453 5. To approve the budget of the FHSAA.
454 6. To organize and conduct statewide interscholastic
455 competitions, which may or may not lead to state championships,
456 and to establish the terms and conditions for these
457 competitions.
458 7. To act as an administrative board in the interpretation
459 of, and final decision on, all questions and appeals arising
460 from the directing of interscholastic athletics of member
461 schools.
462 (5) REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY.—
463 (a) The legislative authority of the FHSAA is vested in its
464 representative assembly.
465 (b) The representative assembly shall be composed of the
466 following:
467 1. An equal number of member school representatives from
468 each of the four administrative regions.
469 2. Four district school superintendents, one elected from
470 each of the four administrative regions by the district school
471 superintendents in their respective administrative regions.
472 3. Four district school board members, one elected from
473 each of the four administrative regions by the district school
474 board members in their respective administrative regions.
475 4. The commissioner or his or her designee from the
476 department executive staff.
477 (c) The FHSAA’s bylaws shall establish the number of member
478 school representatives to serve in the representative assembly
479 from each of the four administrative regions and shall establish
480 the method for their selection.
481 (d) No member of the board of directors other than the
482 commissioner or his or her designee can serve in the
483 representative assembly.
484 (e) The representative assembly shall elect a chairperson
485 and a vice chairperson from among its members.
486 (f) Elected members of the representative assembly shall
487 serve terms of 2 years and are eligible to succeed themselves
488 for two additional terms. An elected member, other than the
489 commissioner or his or her designee, may serve a maximum of 6
490 consecutive years in the representative assembly.
491 (g) A quorum of the representative assembly consists of one
492 more than half of its members.
493 (h) The authority of the representative assembly is limited
494 to its sole duty, which is to consider, adopt, or reject any
495 proposed amendments to the FHSAA’s bylaws.
496 (i) The representative assembly shall meet as a body
497 annually. A two-thirds majority of the votes cast by members
498 present is required for passage of any proposal.
499 (6) PUBLIC LIAISON ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—
500 (a) The FHSAA shall establish, sustain, fund, and provide
501 staff support to a public liaison advisory committee composed of
502 the following:
503 1. The commissioner or his or her designee.
504 2. A member public school principal.
505 3. A member private school principal.
506 4. A member school principal who is a member of a racial
507 minority.
508 5. An active athletic director.
509 6. An active coach, who is employed full time by a member
510 school.
511 7. A student athlete.
512 8. A district school superintendent.
513 9. A district school board member.
514 10. A member of the Florida House of Representatives.
515 11. A member of the Florida Senate.
516 12. A parent of a high school student.
517 13. A member of a home education association.
518 14. A representative of the business community.
519 15. A representative of the news media.
520 (b) No member of the board of directors, committee on
521 appeals, or representative assembly is eligible to serve on the
522 public liaison advisory committee.
523 (c) The public liaison advisory committee shall elect a
524 chairperson and vice chairperson from among its members.
525 (d) The authority and duties of the public liaison advisory
526 committee are as follows:
527 1. To act as a conduit through which the general public may
528 have input into the decisionmaking process of the FHSAA and to
529 assist the FHSAA in the development of procedures regarding the
530 receipt of public input and disposition of complaints related to
531 high school athletic and competition programs.
532 2. To conduct public hearings annually in each of the four
533 administrative regions during which interested parties may
534 address issues regarding the effectiveness of the rules,
535 operation, and management of the FHSAA.
536 3. To conduct an annual evaluation of the FHSAA as a whole
537 and present a report of its findings, conclusion, and
538 recommendations to the board of directors, to the commissioner,
539 and to the respective education committees of the Florida Senate
540 and the Florida House of Representatives. The recommendations
541 must delineate policies and procedures that will improve the
542 implementation and oversight of high school athletic programs by
543 the FHSAA.
544 (e) The public liaison advisory committee shall meet four
545 times annually. Additional meetings may be called by the
546 committee chairperson, the FHSAA president, or the FHSAA
547 executive director.
548 (7) APPEALS.—
549 (a) The FHSAA shall establish a procedure of due process
550 which ensures each student the opportunity to appeal an
551 unfavorable ruling with regard to his or her eligibility to
552 compete. The initial appeal shall be made to a committee on
553 appeals within the administrative region in which the student
554 lives. The FHSAA’s bylaws shall establish the number, size, and
555 composition of each committee on appeals.
556 (b) No member of the board of directors is eligible to
557 serve on a committee on appeals.
558 (c) Members of a committee on appeals shall serve terms of
559 3 years and are eligible to succeed themselves only once. A
560 member of a committee on appeals may serve a maximum of 6
561 consecutive years. The FHSAA’s bylaws shall establish a rotation
562 of terms to ensure that a majority of the members’ terms do not
563 expire concurrently.
564 (d) The authority and duties of a committee on appeals
565 shall be to consider requests by member schools seeking
566 exceptions to bylaws and regulations, to hear undue hardship
567 eligibility cases filed by member schools on behalf of student
568 athletes, and to hear appeals filed by member schools or student
569 athletes.
570 (e) A student athlete or member school that receives an
571 unfavorable ruling from a committee on appeals shall be entitled
572 to appeal that decision to the board of directors at its next
573 regularly scheduled meeting or called meeting. The board of
574 directors shall have the authority to uphold, reverse, or amend
575 the decision of the committee on appeals. In all such cases, the
576 decision of the board of directors shall be final.
577 (f) The FHSAA shall expedite the appeals process on
578 determinations of ineligibility so that disposition of the
579 appeal can be made before the end of the applicable sports
580 season, if possible.
581 (g) In any appeal from a decision on eligibility made by
582 the executive director or a designee, a school or student
583 athlete filing the appeal must be permitted to present
584 information and evidence that was not available at the time of
585 the initial determination or if the determination was not made
586 by an unbiased, objective individual using a process allowing
587 full due process rights to be heard and to present evidence. If
588 evidence is presented on appeal, a de novo decision must be made
589 by the committee or board hearing the appeal, or the
590 determination may be suspended and the matter remanded for a new
591 determination based on all the evidence. If a de novo decision
592 is made on appeal, the decision must be made in writing, setting
593 forth the findings of fact and specific violation upon which the
594 decision is based. If a de novo decision is not required, the
595 decision appealed must be set aside if the decision on
596 ineligibility was not based on clear and convincing evidence.
597 Any further appeal shall be considered on a record that includes
598 all evidence presented.
599 (8) AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS.—Each member school representative,
600 the board of directors acting as a whole or as members acting
601 individually, any advisory committee acting as a whole to be
602 established by the FHSAA, and the FHSAA’s executive director are
603 empowered to propose amendments to the bylaws. Any other
604 individual may propose an amendment by securing the sponsorship
605 of any of the aforementioned individuals or bodies. All proposed
606 amendments must be submitted directly to the representative
607 assembly for its consideration. The representative assembly,
608 while empowered to adopt, reject, or revise proposed amendments,
609 may not, in and of itself, as a body be allowed to propose any
610 amendment for its own consideration.
611 Section 2. Subsections (2) through (8) of section 1006.15,
612 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
613 1006.15 Student standards for eligibility to participate
614 participation in interscholastic and intrascholastic
615 extracurricular student activities; regulation.—
616 (2) District school board and nonprofit association
617 policies governing student eligibility for extracurricular
618 activities shall be guided by the following principles:
619 (a) Interscholastic Extracurricular student activities are
620 an important complement to the academic curriculum and provide
621 students with incentives to succeed academically.
622 (b) Participation in a comprehensive extracurricular and
623 academic program contributes to student development of the
624 social and intellectual skills necessary to become a well
625 rounded adult.
626 (c) Extracurricular activities promote teamwork and
627 collaboration, expose students to individuals from diverse
628 backgrounds, and enhance parental engagement in the school.
629 (d) Policies governing student eligibility for
630 extracurricular activities should not impede parental school
631 choice.
632 (e) A student’s school attendance zone or choice of
633 educational program should not be a barrier to participation in
634 extracurricular activities that are not offered by the student’s
635 school or program.
636 (3) As used in this part section, the term:
637 (a) “Extracurricular activity” means a any school
638 authorized or education-related activity occurring during or
639 outside the regular instructional school day.
640 (b) “Home education cooperative” means a parent-directed
641 group of individual home education students which provides
642 opportunities for interscholastic competition to those students.
643 (c) “Impermissible benefit” means a benefit or promise of
644 benefit that is based in any way on athletic interest,
645 potential, or performance, that is a benefit not generally
646 available to the school’s students or their family members, and
647 that induces a student athlete to participate in the athletic
648 programs of a member school. The term does not include
649 transportation arrangements.
650 (d) “Nonprofit association” means the nonprofit association
651 that governs interscholastic athletic competition in this state
652 pursuant to s. 1006.20.
653 (e) “Public school student” means a student who is
654 attending a traditional public school, charter school, magnet
655 school, alternative school, developmental research laboratory
656 school, other public school of choice, or public virtual school.
657 (f) “Recruiting” means an effort by a school employee or
658 athletic department staff member to pressure, urge, or entice a
659 student to attend that school for the purpose of participating
660 in interscholastic athletics.
661 (g) “Unaffiliated private school” means a private school
662 that has an enrollment of 125 or fewer students in grades 6
663 through 12 and that is not a member of the nonprofit
664 association.
665 (4)(3)(a) A student is To be eligible to participate in
666 interscholastic extracurricular student activities if the, a
667 student must:
668 1. Maintains Maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or above
669 on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the previous semester or a
670 cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale,
671 or its equivalent, in the courses required by s. 1002.3105(5) or
672 s. 1003.4282.
673 2. Executes Execute and fulfills fulfill the requirements
674 of an academic performance contract between the student, the
675 district school board or private school, the appropriate
676 governing association, and the student’s parents, if the
677 student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0, or its
678 equivalent, on a 4.0 scale in the courses required by s.
679 1002.3105(5) or s. 1003.4282. At a minimum, the contract must
680 require that the student attend summer school, or its graded
681 equivalent, between grades 9 and 10 or grades 10 and 11, as
682 necessary.
683 3. Has Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or
684 above on a 4.0 scale, or its equivalent, in the courses required
685 by s. 1002.3105(5) or s. 1003.4282 during his or her junior or
686 senior year.
687 4. Maintains Maintain satisfactory conduct as prescribed by
688 the district school board’s or private school’s code, including
689 adherence to appropriate dress and other codes of student
690 conduct policies described in s. 1006.07(2). If a student is
691 convicted of, or is found to have committed, a felony or a
692 delinquent act that would have been a felony if committed by an
693 adult, regardless of whether adjudication is withheld, the
694 student’s participation in interscholastic extracurricular
695 activities is contingent upon established and published district
696 school board or private school policy.
697 5. Is a home education student who meets the requirements
698 of the home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41, including
699 requirements relating to annual educational evaluations. The
700 evaluation processes or requirements placed on home education
701 student participants may not exceed those that apply under s.
702 1002.41 to home education students generally.
703 (b)1. A student may be declared ineligible to participate
704 in interscholastic athletics only if:
705 a. The student fails to achieve compliance with paragraph
706 (a);
707 b. The student or parent falsifies an enrollment or
708 eligibility document;
709 c. The student or parent accepts an impermissible benefit;
710 d. The student commits a flagrant act of unsportsmanlike
711 conduct toward a contest official, opponent, or other person
712 attending an athletic contest or violates substance abuse
713 policies established by the nonprofit association;
714 e. The student has exhausted 4 years of athletic
715 eligibility, graduated from high school, or attained the maximum
716 age established by the nonprofit association, whichever occurs
717 first;
718 f. The student does not pass a medical evaluation pursuant
719 to s. 1006.20(2)(c), except as otherwise provided in s.
720 1006.20(2)(d); or
721 g. The student forfeits his or her amateur status, as
722 defined by the nonprofit association.
723 2. A student may not be declared ineligible to participate
724 in interscholastic athletics based upon a violation of the
725 FHSAA’s recruitment policy or otherwise because the student
726 participated on a nonschool team or nonschool team affiliated
727 with the school in which the student ultimately enrolls; or the
728 student participated in nonschool athletic activities sponsored
729 by a member school of the nonprofit association if, after
730 participating, the student registers for, enrolls in, or applies
731 to attend the sponsoring school. As used in this subparagraph,
732 the terms “nonschool team” and “nonschool athletic activities”
733 include, but are not limited to, club teams, travel teams, grade
734 school teams, recreational league teams, personal instruction
735 sessions, summer camp teams, and summer camp nonschool athletic
736 programs.
737 (c)1.(b) A Any student who is exempt from attending a full
738 school day based on rules adopted by the district school board
739 for double session schools or programs, experimental schools, or
740 schools operating under emergency conditions must maintain the
741 grade point average required by this section and pass each class
742 for which he or she is enrolled.
743 2. A student who transfers from a home education program to
744 a public or private school before or during the first semester
745 of the school year is academically eligible to participate in
746 extracurricular activities during the first semester if the
747 student has a successful evaluation from the previous school
748 year pursuant to subparagraph (a)5.
749 3. A public school or private school student who transfers
750 into a home education program after being declared ineligible
751 for participation in extracurricular activities pursuant to
752 subparagraph (b)1. is ineligible to participate in such
753 activities as a home education student until the student has
754 successfully completed one semester in a home education program
755 pursuant to s. 1002.41.
756 4. A public school student who transfers to a private
757 school or another public school, or a private school student who
758 transfers to a public school or another private school, after
759 being declared ineligible to participate in extracurricular
760 activities pursuant to subparagraph (b)1. is ineligible to
761 participate in such activities until the student has
762 successfully completed one semester at the school to which he or
763 she transfers and meets the requirements of paragraph (a).
764 (d)(c) A public school student, a student attending an
765 unaffiliated private school, or a An individual home education
766 student is eligible to participate in an extracurricular
767 activity that is not offered by the student’s school or home
768 education program. Participation may occur at any the public
769 school in the school district in which the student resides to
770 which the student would be assigned according to district school
771 board attendance area policies or a public school in another
772 school district which the student could choose to attend
773 pursuant to an district or interdistrict controlled open
774 enrollment policy. A home education student provisions, or may
775 also develop an agreement to participate at a private school, in
776 the interscholastic or extracurricular activities of that
777 school. In order to participate under this paragraph, a student
778 must meet, provided the following conditions are met:
779 1. The home education student must meet the requirements of
780 the home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41.
781 2. During the period of participation at a school, the home
782 education student must demonstrate educational progress as
783 required in paragraph (b) in all subjects taken in the home
784 education program by a method of evaluation agreed upon by the
785 parent and the school principal which may include: review of the
786 student’s work by a certified teacher chosen by the parent;
787 grades earned through correspondence; grades earned in courses
788 taken at a Florida College System institution, university, or
789 trade school; standardized test scores above the 35th
790 percentile; or any other method designated in s. 1002.41.
791 3. The home education student must meet the same residency
792 requirements as other students in the school at which he or she
793 participates.
794 1.4. The home education student must meet the same
795 standards of acceptance, behavior, and performance as required
796 of other students in extracurricular activities.
797 2.5. The student must register with the school his or her
798 intent to participate in interscholastic extracurricular
799 activities as a representative of the school before the
800 beginning date of the nonathletic activity or season for the
801 athletic activity in which he or she wishes to participate. A
802 home education student must be able to participate in curricular
803 activities if that is a requirement for an extracurricular
804 activity.
805 3. A student who is enrolled in an unaffiliated private
806 school, a home education program, a full-time public virtual
807 school, or any public school that does not offer any
808 interscholastic athletic programs may only participate in
809 interscholastic athletics at the public school in which the
810 student is first registered.
811 4. The student’s parent is responsible for transporting the
812 student to and from the school at which the student
813 participates. The school the student attends, the school at
814 which the student participates in the extracurricular activity,
815 the district school board, and the nonprofit association are
816 exempt from civil liability arising from any injury to the
817 student which occurs during such transportation.
818 6. A student who transfers from a home education program to
819 a public school before or during the first grading period of the
820 school year is academically eligible to participate in
821 interscholastic extracurricular activities during the first
822 grading period provided the student has a successful evaluation
823 from the previous school year, pursuant to subparagraph 2.
824 7. Any public school or private school student who has been
825 unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in
826 interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
827 participate in such activities as a home education student until
828 the student has successfully completed one grading period in
829 home education pursuant to subparagraph 2. to become eligible to
830 participate as a home education student.
831 (d) An individual charter school student pursuant to s.
832 1002.33 is eligible to participate at the public school to which
833 the student would be assigned according to district school board
834 attendance area policies or which the student could choose to
835 attend, pursuant to district or interdistrict controlled open
836 enrollment provisions, in any interscholastic extracurricular
837 activity of that school, unless such activity is provided by the
838 student’s charter school, if the following conditions are met:
839 1. The charter school student must meet the requirements of
840 the charter school education program as determined by the
841 charter school governing board.
842 2. During the period of participation at a school, the
843 charter school student must demonstrate educational progress as
844 required in paragraph (b).
845 3. The charter school student must meet the same residency
846 requirements as other students in the school at which he or she
847 participates.
848 4. The charter school student must meet the same standards
849 of acceptance, behavior, and performance that are required of
850 other students in extracurricular activities.
851 5. The charter school student must register with the school
852 his or her intent to participate in interscholastic
853 extracurricular activities as a representative of the school
854 before the beginning date of the season for the activity in
855 which he or she wishes to participate. A charter school student
856 must be able to participate in curricular activities if that is
857 a requirement for an extracurricular activity.
858 6. A student who transfers from a charter school program to
859 a traditional public school before or during the first grading
860 period of the school year is academically eligible to
861 participate in interscholastic extracurricular activities during
862 the first grading period if the student has a successful
863 evaluation from the previous school year, pursuant to
864 subparagraph 2.
865 7. Any public school or private school student who has been
866 unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in
867 interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
868 participate in such activities as a charter school student until
869 the student has successfully completed one grading period in a
870 charter school pursuant to subparagraph 2. to become eligible to
871 participate as a charter school student.
872 (e) A student of the Florida Virtual School full-time
873 program may participate in any interscholastic extracurricular
874 activity at the public school to which the student would be
875 assigned according to district school board attendance area
876 policies or which the student could choose to attend, pursuant
877 to district or interdistrict controlled open enrollment
878 policies, if the student:
879 1. During the period of participation in the
880 interscholastic extracurricular activity, meets the requirements
881 in paragraph (a).
882 2. Meets any additional requirements as determined by the
883 board of trustees of the Florida Virtual School.
884 3. Meets the same residency requirements as other students
885 in the school at which he or she participates.
886 4. Meets the same standards of acceptance, behavior, and
887 performance that are required of other students in
888 extracurricular activities.
889 5. Registers his or her intent to participate in
890 interscholastic extracurricular activities with the school
891 before the beginning date of the season for the activity in
892 which he or she wishes to participate. A Florida Virtual School
893 student must be able to participate in curricular activities if
894 that is a requirement for an extracurricular activity.
895 (f) A student who transfers from the Florida Virtual School
896 full-time program to a traditional public school before or
897 during the first grading period of the school year is
898 academically eligible to participate in interscholastic
899 extracurricular activities during the first grading period if
900 the student has a successful evaluation from the previous school
901 year pursuant to paragraph (a).
902 (g) A public school or private school student who has been
903 unable to maintain academic eligibility for participation in
904 interscholastic extracurricular activities is ineligible to
905 participate in such activities as a Florida Virtual School
906 student until the student successfully completes one grading
907 period in the Florida Virtual School pursuant to paragraph (a).
908 (5)(4) The student standards for participation in
909 interscholastic extracurricular activities must be applied
910 beginning with the student’s first semester of the 9th grade.
911 Each student must meet such other requirements for participation
912 as may be established by the district school board; however,
913 such requirements must apply on an equal basis to all students
914 and a district school board may not make establish requirements
915 for participation in interscholastic extracurricular activities
916 which make participation in such activities less accessible to a
917 transfer student or a student enrolled in a public school of
918 choice, an unaffiliated private school, or a home education
919 program students than to other students. A district school board
920 or private school may not establish policies regarding transfer
921 student eligibility for extracurricular activities which are
922 more stringent than the policies established by the nonprofit
923 association Except as set forth in paragraph (3)(c), evaluation
924 processes or requirements that are placed on home education
925 student participants may not go beyond those that apply under s.
926 1002.41 to home education students generally.
927 (6)(5) An Any organization or entity that regulates or
928 governs interscholastic extracurricular activities of public
929 schools:
930 (a) Shall permit home education associations or home
931 education cooperatives to join as member schools.
932 (b) Shall not discriminate against any eligible student
933 based on an educational choice of public, private, or home
934 education.
935 (7)(6) Public schools are prohibited from membership in any
936 organization or entity that which regulates or governs
937 interscholastic extracurricular activities and discriminates
938 against eligible students in public, private, or home education.
939 (7) Any insurance provided by district school boards for
940 participants in extracurricular activities shall cover the
941 participating home education student. If there is an additional
942 premium for such coverage, the participating home education
943 student shall pay the premium.
944 (8)(a) The Florida High School Athletic Association
945 (FHSAA), in cooperation with each district school board, shall
946 facilitate a program in which a middle school or high school
947 student who attends a private school shall be eligible to
948 participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic sport at a
949 public high school, a public middle school, or a 6-12 public
950 school that is zoned for the physical address at which the
951 student resides if:
952 1. The private school in which the student is enrolled is
953 not a member of the FHSAA and does not offer an interscholastic
954 or intrascholastic athletic program.
955 2. The private school student meets the guidelines for the
956 conduct of the program established by the FHSAA’s board of
957 directors and the district school board. At a minimum, such
958 guidelines shall provide:
959 a. A deadline for each sport by which the private school
960 student’s parents must register with the public school in
961 writing their intent for their child to participate at that
962 school in the sport.
963 b. Requirements for a private school student to
964 participate, including, but not limited to, meeting the same
965 standards of eligibility, acceptance, behavior, educational
966 progress, and performance which apply to other students
967 participating in interscholastic or intrascholastic sports at a
968 public school or FHSAA member private school.
969 (b) The parents of a private school student participating
970 in a public school sport under this subsection are responsible
971 for transporting their child to and from the public school at
972 which the student participates. The private school the student
973 attends, the public school at which the student participates in
974 a sport, the district school board, and the FHSAA are exempt
975 from civil liability arising from any injury that occurs to the
976 student during such transportation.
977 (c) For each academic year, a private school student may
978 only participate at the public school in which the student is
979 first registered under sub-subparagraph (a)2.a. or makes himself
980 or herself a candidate for an athletic team by engaging in a
981 practice.
982 (d) The athletic director of each participating FHSAA
983 member public school shall maintain the student records
984 necessary for eligibility, compliance, and participation in the
985 program.
986 (e) Any non-FHSAA member private school that has a student
987 who wishes to participate in this program must make all student
988 records, including, but not limited to, academic, financial,
989 disciplinary, and attendance records, available upon request of
990 the FHSAA.
991 (f) A student must apply to participate in this program
992 through the FHSAA program application process.
993 (g) Only students who are enrolled in non-FHSAA member
994 private schools consisting of 125 students or fewer are eligible
995 to participate in the program in any given academic year.
996 Section 3. Section 1006.16, Florida Statutes, is amended to
997 read:
998 1006.16 Insuring school students engaged in extracurricular
999 athletic activities against injury.—A Any district school board,
1000 school athletic association, or school may formulate, conduct,
1001 and purchase a plan or method of insuring, or may self-insure,
1002 participants in extracurricular activities school students
1003 against injury sustained by reason of such participation
1004 students engaging and participating in the extracurricular
1005 athletic activities conducted or sponsored by the district
1006 school board, association, or school in which such students are
1007 enrolled. A district school board, school athletic association,
1008 or school may add a surcharge to the fee charged for admission
1009 to athletic events as a means of producing revenue to purchase
1010 such insurance or to provide self-insurance. A Any district
1011 school board may pay for all or part of such plan or method of
1012 insurance or self-insurance from available district school board
1013 funds. Insurance provided by a district school board for
1014 participants in extracurricular activities must cover home
1015 education and unaffiliated private school students participating
1016 in extracurricular activities at a district public school
1017 pursuant to s. 1006.15 under the same terms and conditions that
1018 apply to students enrolled in a district public school.
1019 Section 4. Subsection (1) of section 1006.19, Florida
1020 Statutes, is amended to read:
1021 1006.19 Audit of records of nonprofit corporations and
1022 associations handling interscholastic activities.—
1023 (1) Each nonprofit association or corporation that operates
1024 for the purpose of supervising and controlling interscholastic
1025 activities of public high schools and whose membership is
1026 composed of duly certified representatives of public high
1027 schools, and whose rules and regulations are established by
1028 members thereof, shall have an annual financial audit of its
1029 accounts and records conducted by an independent certified
1030 public accountant retained by it and paid from its funds. The
1031 accountant shall furnish a copy of the audit report to the
1032 Auditor General within 30 days after completion of the audit. At
1033 least every 3 years, the Auditor General shall conduct an
1034 operational audit of the accounts and records of each nonprofit
1035 association.
1036 Section 5. Subsections (17) and (18) of section 1002.20,
1037 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
1038 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
1039 school students must receive accurate and timely information
1040 regarding their child’s academic progress and must be informed
1041 of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
1042 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
1043 rights including, but not limited to, the following:
1044 (17) ATHLETICS; PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.—
1045 (a) Eligibility.—Eligibility requirements for all students
1046 participating in high school athletic competition must allow a
1047 student to be eligible in the school in which he or she first
1048 enrolls each school year, the school in which the student makes
1049 himself or herself a candidate for an athletic team by engaging
1050 in practice before enrolling, or the school to which the student
1051 has transferred with approval of the district school board, in
1052 accordance with s. 1006.20 the provisions of s. 1006.20(2)(a).
1053 (b) Medical evaluation.—Students must satisfactorily pass a
1054 medical evaluation each year before participating in athletics,
1055 unless the parent objects in writing based on religious tenets
1056 or practices, in accordance with s. 1006.20 the provisions of s.
1057 1006.20(2)(d).
1058 (18) EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.—In accordance with the
1059 provisions of s. 1006.15:
1060 (a) Eligibility.—Students who meet specified academic and
1061 conduct requirements are eligible to participate in
1062 extracurricular activities.
1063 (b) Participation Home education students.—All public
1064 school students, including those enrolled in public schools of
1065 choice and virtual education, all home education students, and
1066 certain private school students may participate in any
1067 extracurricular activity not offered by a student’s school or
1068 home education program at any public school in the school
1069 district in which the student resides or a public school in
1070 another school district which the student could choose to attend
1071 pursuant to an interdistrict controlled open enrollment policy
1072 who meet specified academic and conduct requirements are
1073 eligible to participate in extracurricular activities at the
1074 public school to which the student would be assigned or could
1075 choose to attend according to district school board policies, or
1076 may develop an agreement to participate at a private school.
1077 (c) Charter school students.—Charter school students who
1078 meet specified academic and conduct requirements are eligible to
1079 participate in extracurricular activities at the public school
1080 to which the student would be assigned or could choose to attend
1081 according to district school board policies, unless such
1082 activity is provided by the student’s charter school.
1083 (d) Florida Virtual School full-time students.—Florida
1084 Virtual School full-time students who meet specified academic
1085 and conduct requirements are eligible to participate in
1086 extracurricular activities at the public school to which the
1087 student would be assigned or could choose to attend according to
1088 district school board policies.
1089 (c)(e) Discrimination prohibited.—Organizations that
1090 regulate or govern extracurricular activities of public schools
1091 shall not discriminate against any eligible student based on an
1092 educational choice of public, private, or home education.
1093 Section 6. Subsection (11) of section 1002.33, Florida
1094 Statutes, is amended to read:
1095 1002.33 Charter schools.—
1096 (11) PARTICIPATION IN INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR
1097 ACTIVITIES.—A charter school student is eligible to participate
1098 in an interscholastic extracurricular activity at another the
1099 public school to which the student would be otherwise assigned
1100 to attend pursuant to s. 1006.15 s. 1006.15(3)(d).
1101 Section 7. this act shall take effect July 1, 2015.
1102
1103 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
1104 And the title is amended as follows:
1105 Delete everything before the enacting clause
1106 and insert:
1107 A bill to be entitled
1108 An act relating to extracurricular activities;
1109 amending s. 1006.20, F.S.; providing for review of the
1110 FHSAA’s performance of duties; providing requirements
1111 regarding fees and admission prices; revising
1112 provisions regarding eligibility and transfer;
1113 providing procedures for resolving student eligibility
1114 disputes; requiring the Florida High School Athletic
1115 Association (FHSAA) to adopt guidelines, provide
1116 resources, and develop training courses relating to
1117 sports ethics; providing that member schools must meet
1118 certain requirements relating to the sports ethics
1119 guidelines, resources, and training courses provided
1120 by the FHSAA; revising the governing structure of the
1121 FHSAA; deleting provisions relating to the FHSAA’s
1122 board of directors, representative assembly, public
1123 liaison advisory committee, and appeals committees;
1124 deleting requirements with respect to amendments to
1125 the FHSAA’s bylaws; amending s. 1006.15, F.S.;
1126 establishing guiding principles for extracurricular
1127 activities; providing definitions; revising academic
1128 eligibility requirements; specifying grounds for
1129 student ineligibility for participation in
1130 interscholastic athletics; specifying conditions under
1131 which students who are enrolled in public schools,
1132 certain private schools, or home education programs
1133 may participate in the extracurricular activities of a
1134 public school; deleting obsolete provisions; amending
1135 s. 1006.16, F.S.; revising insurance requirements to
1136 include students who participate in nonathletic
1137 extracurricular activities; requiring that insurance
1138 coverage provided by district school boards for
1139 participants in extracurricular activities include
1140 certain students; amending s. 1006.19, F.S.; providing
1141 a period within which an audit of a nonprofit
1142 association’s records must be provided to the Auditor
1143 General; requiring the Auditor General to conduct
1144 operational audits of the nonprofit association’s
1145 accounts and records; amending s. 1002.20, F.S.;
1146 conforming cross-references; revising provisions
1147 related to participation in extracurricular
1148 activities; amending ss. 1002.33, F.S.; conforming
1149 cross-references; providing an effective date.