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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of the University Interscholastic League |
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regarding activities involving sports officials. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 33, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 33.085 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 33.085. AUTHORITY OF UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC |
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LEAGUE REGARDING ACTIVITIES INVOLVING SPORTS OFFICIALS. (a) In |
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this section: |
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(1) "League" means the University Interscholastic |
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League. |
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(2) "Sports official" means a person who officiates, |
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judges, or in any manner enforces contest rules in any official |
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capacity with respect to and during the course of an |
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interscholastic athletic team competition and who is a member of a |
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league-recognized local chapter or association of sports |
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officials. The term includes a referee, umpire, linesman, judge, |
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or any other person similarly involved in supervising competitive |
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play. The term does not include a league board member or a league |
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official who is acting in an official capacity to supervise, |
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administer, or enforce the league constitution or league contest |
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rules. |
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(b) The league may require a sports official, as a condition |
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of eligibility to officiate a contest sponsored by the league, to: |
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(1) be registered with the league and comply with the |
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registration requirements of Subsection (c); |
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(2) have completed initial and continuing education |
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programs regarding league rules; |
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(3) be a member in good standing of a local chapter or |
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association of sports officials recognized by the league for that |
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purpose; and |
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(4) agree to abide by league rules, including fee |
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schedules and travel reimbursement guidelines for payment by school |
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districts or open-enrollment charter schools to a sports official. |
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(c) In registering with the league, a sports official must |
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be required to provide directory information required by the league |
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and submit to a criminal background check. |
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(d) The league may not charge a sports official who |
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completes a program under Subsection (b)(2) a fee for more than one |
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program described by Subsection (b)(2). |
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(e) The league may charge and collect a registration fee |
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only to defray the cost of registering sports officials and shall |
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post the amount of the fee on the league's Internet website and make |
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the information available at other places the league determines |
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appropriate. The amount of the fee may not exceed the amount |
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reasonably determined by the league to be necessary to cover the |
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cost of administering registration. |
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(f) The league may revoke or suspend the league registration |
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of a sports official determined by the league to have violated the |
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provisions of the league constitution or contest rules governing |
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sports officials or other league policy applicable to sports |
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officials. Before the league may take action to revoke or suspend a |
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sports official's registration, the league shall notify and consult |
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with the local chapter or association of sports officials of which |
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the sports official is a member. The local chapter or association |
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may, on or before the 15th day after the date notice is received |
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from the league, take action to adjudicate the alleged violation. |
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If after the 15th day after the date notice is received from the |
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league the local chapter or association has failed to take action |
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against the sports official or takes action that the league finds to |
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be insufficient, the league may take action against the sports |
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official. The league shall adopt rules to provide a sports official |
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with the opportunity for an appeals process before the league |
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revokes or suspends the sports official's registration. In adopting |
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rules under this subsection, the league shall make a determination |
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of the actions and subsequent sanctions that would be considered |
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sufficient under this subsection. |
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(g) The league may not sponsor or organize or attempt to |
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sponsor or organize any association of sports officials in which |
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the majority of the membership is composed of sports officials who |
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officiate team sports. |
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(h) The league may set rates or fee schedules payable by a |
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school district or open-enrollment charter school to a sports |
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official. |
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(i) Before the league may take any action that amends rules |
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related to the activities of sports officials, other than an action |
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against an individual sports official under Subsection (f), the |
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league must submit the proposed action for public review and |
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comment, including: |
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(1) notifying registered sports officials of the |
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proposed action by e-mail not later than the 30th day before the |
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date set for action on the proposal; and |
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(2) posting the proposal on the league's Internet |
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website for at least 30 consecutive days before the date set for |
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action on the proposal. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |