House Study Bill 551 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON WENDT) A BILL FOR An Act relating to participation in extracurricular activities 1 by certain children. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5116HC (6) 83 kh/nh
H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 256.46, Code 2009, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 256.46 Rules for participation in extracurricular activities 3 by certain children. 4 1. The state board shall adopt rules that permit a child 5 who does not meet the residence requirements for participation 6 in extracurricular interscholastic contests or competitions 7 sponsored or administered by an organization as defined in 8 section 280.13 to participate in the contests or competitions 9 immediately if the child is duly enrolled in a school, is 10 otherwise eligible to participate, and meets one of the 11 following circumstances or a similar circumstance: the 12 a. The child has been adopted ; the . 13 b. The child is placed under foster or shelter care ; the . 14 c. The child is living with one of the child’s parents as a 15 result of divorce, separation, death, or other change in the 16 child’s parents’ marital relationship, or pursuant to other 17 court-ordered decree or order of custody ; the . 18 d. The child is a foreign exchange student, unless undue 19 influence was exerted to place the child for primarily athletic 20 purposes ; the . 21 e. The child has been placed in a juvenile correctional 22 facility ; the . 23 f. The child is a ward of the court or the state ; the . 24 g. The child is a participant in a substance abuse or mental 25 health program ; or the . 26 h. The child is enrolled in an accredited nonpublic high 27 school because the child’s district of residence has entered 28 into a whole grade sharing agreement for the pupil’s grade with 29 another district. 30 2. The rules shall permit a child who is otherwise eligible 31 to participate, but who does not meet one of the foregoing or 32 similar circumstances relating to residence requirements, to 33 participate at any level of competition other than the varsity 34 level. 35 -1- LSB 5116HC (6) 83 kh/nh 1/ 2
H.F. _____ 3. The rules shall permit a child to compete in an athletic 1 contest or competition, whether or not the child is given a 2 failing grade in any course for which credit is awarded, if 3 the child moved into this state within twelve months prior to 4 the start of the athletic season during which the contest or 5 competition is held and the child is eligible to participate 6 in an athletic contest or competition pursuant to subsection 7 1, paragraph “a” . 8 4. For purposes of this section and section 282.18, 9 “varsity” means the highest level of competition offered by 10 one school or school district against the highest level of 11 competition offered by an opposing school or school district. 12 EXPLANATION 13 This bill allows a child to participate in an athletic 14 contest or competition, whether or not the child receives a 15 failing grade in a course for which credit is awarded, if the 16 child is adopted and moved to Iowa within one year of the start 17 of the athletic season during which the contest or competition 18 is held. 19 -2- LSB 5116HC (6) 83 kh/nh 2/ 2