Bill Text: NJ S2398 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Requires school district to adopt policy allowing students in grades 9 through 12 who participate in certain interscholastic extracurricular activities to earn varsity letter.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 7-3)

Status: (Passed) 2017-05-08 - Approved P.L.2017, c.62. [S2398 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2016-S2398-Introduced.html

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SENATE, No. 2398

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

217th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 23, 2016

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  CHRISTOPHER "KIP" BATEMAN

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires school district to adopt policy allowing students in grades 9 through 12 who participate in certain interscholastic extracurricular activities to earn varsity letter.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  

An Act concerning student participation in certain public school extracurricular activities and supplementing chapter 42 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    A school district that includes any of the grades 9 through 12 shall adopt a policy to provide that a student enrolled in those grades who participates in any school-sponsored, interscholastic extracurricular activity that includes competitions in which the student competes against students enrolled in schools outside of the district may be eligible to earn a varsity letter awarded by the district.

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill requires a school district that includes any of the grades 9 through 12 to adopt a policy to provide that a student enrolled in those grades who participates in any school-sponsored, interscholastic extracurricular activity that includes competitions in which the student competes against students enrolled in schools outside of the district may be eligible to earn a varsity letter awarded by the district.

     There is a long history of high schools awarding varsity letters to students who participate in "traditional" sports programs.  This bill allows students who participate in other forms of competition against students in schools outside of their district to also earn varsity letters.