House File 2591 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2591 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2034) A BILL FOR An Act relating to open enrollment, student transfers, and 1 interscholastic athletic eligibility requirements. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5942HV (2) 91 mb/jh
H.F. 2591 Section 1. Section 256.46, Code 2026, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 4. A student in grades nine through 3 twelve who transfers from one school to another school shall 4 be ineligible to compete in interscholastic athletics for a 5 period of one hundred forty calendar days following enrollment 6 in the new school, exclusive of summer enrollment, unless one 7 of the exceptions listed in subsection 1 applies or a similar 8 circumstance exists as determined by rule of the state board. 9 The period of ineligibility applies only to varsity level 10 contests and competitions. 11 Sec. 2. Section 282.18, subsection 11, paragraph a, 12 unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2026, is amended to read as 13 follows: 14 A pupil who participates in open enrollment for purposes of 15 attending a grade in grades nine through twelve in a school 16 district other than the district of residence is ineligible to 17 participate in varsity interscholastic athletic contests and 18 athletic competitions during the pupil’s first ninety school 19 one hundred forty calendar days of enrollment in the district. 20 However, a pupil may participate immediately in a varsity 21 interscholastic sport under any of the following circumstances: 22 EXPLANATION 23 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 24 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 25 This bill relates to open enrollment, student transfers, and 26 interscholastic athletic eligibility requirements. Current law 27 provides that a student who participates in open enrollment in 28 grades 9 through 12 is ineligible to participate in varsity 29 interscholastic athletic contests and competitions during the 30 student’s first 90 school days of enrollment. The bill changes 31 this restriction from 90 school days to 140 calendar days. 32 The bill maintains existing exceptions that permit a student 33 to participate immediately in a varsity interscholastic sport 34 under certain conditions. 35 -1- LSB 5942HV (2) 91 mb/jh 1/ 2
H.F. 2591 The bill further provides that a student in grades 9 1 through 12 who transfers from one school to another school is 2 ineligible to compete in varsity interscholastic athletics for 3 140 calendar days. The bill provides for certain exceptions. 4 -2- LSB 5942HV (2) 91 mb/jh 2/ 2