House Bill 1154

AN ACT TO PROHIBIT SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM DENYING OR RESTRICTING STUDENTS WHO ATTEND NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM PARTICIPATING IN COURSES AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AT A PUBLIC SCHOOL; TO PRESCRIBE CONDITIONS OF ELIGIBILITY FOR NONPUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOL; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) A school district may not prohibit or restrict the ability of a student attending a nonpublic school, as defined in Section 37-13-91(2)(i), from participating in any public school courses, receiving any services offered by a public school or participating in extracurricular activities at a public school.

(2) Except as provided in subsections (1) and (3) of this section, a student attending a nonpublic school who participates in extracurricular activities at a public school is subject to:

(a) The same standards for participation as those required of full-time students enrolled in the school; and

(b) The same rules of any interscholastic organization of which the school of participation is a member.

(3) The academic eligibility for extracurricular participation for a student attending a nonpublic school must be attested by the administrator of the nonpublic school.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2023.