STATE OF OKLAHOMA

1st Session of the 54th Legislature (2013)

HOUSE BILL 1906	By:	Cleveland and Echols

AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to schools; granting all children between certain ages the right to participate in extracurricular activities in certain school districts; providing for eligibility requirements; prohibiting discrimination; prohibiting public schools and districts from joining certain interscholastic activity associations or organizations; specifying conditions; providing for codification; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 24-156 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
All children between the ages of five (5) years, on or before September 1, and twenty-one (21) years, on or before September 1, shall be entitled to participate in extracurricular activities free of charge in the school district in which they reside.  The eligibility of an individual child to participate in extracurricular activities shall be determined in accordance with school district eligibility rules and policies which are applicable to all other children.  A school district shall not in any way discriminate against a child who is being educated by other means and is not enrolled in the school district.
SECTION 2.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 24-157 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A public school or school district shall not be a member of any private organization or association which charges the school or school district a membership fee, retains a portion of revenue generated by the interscholastic activities or contests of the member schools, and provides the coordination, supervision, and regulation of the interscholastic activities and contests of the member schools, if that organization or association discriminates in any manner against a student that is being educated by other means and is not enrolled in a public or private school in regard to eligibility to participate in interscholastic activities or contests for a public school district in which the student is a resident.
SECTION 3.  This act shall become effective July 1, 2013.
SECTION 4.  It being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is hereby declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval.

54-1-6715	KB	01/17/13