Bill Text: TX HB816 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the licensing and regulation of youth sports programs; providing civil and administrative penalties; authorizing fees.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [HB816 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB816-Introduced.html
| 89R2173 BEE-D | ||
| By: Jones of Harris | H.B. No. 816 | |
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| relating to the licensing and regulation of youth sports programs; | ||
| providing civil and administrative penalties; authorizing fees. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 13, Occupations Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Chapter 2053 to read as follows: | ||
| CHAPTER 2053. YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMS | ||
| SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS | ||
| Sec. 2053.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: | ||
| (1) "Advisory board" means the youth sports program | ||
| advisory board. | ||
| (2) "Commission" means the Texas Commission of | ||
| Licensing and Regulation. | ||
| (3) "Department" means the Texas Department of | ||
| Licensing and Regulation. | ||
| (4) "Executive director" means the executive director | ||
| of the department. | ||
| (5) "Youth sports program" means an organized | ||
| competitive sports program that: | ||
| (A) provides instruction for an Olympic or | ||
| University Interscholastic League sponsored or sanctioned sport; | ||
| (B) is not associated with a school; and | ||
| (C) instructs children who are enrolled in | ||
| kindergarten through 12th grade in a public, private, or charter | ||
| school or children of similar age who are provided an education in a | ||
| home setting. | ||
| SUBCHAPTER B. YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM ADVISORY BOARD | ||
| Sec. 2053.051. YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAM ADVISORY BOARD. (a) | ||
| The youth sports program advisory board consists of nine members | ||
| appointed by the presiding officer of the commission with the | ||
| approval of the commission, as follows: | ||
| (1) two members who are physicians licensed in this | ||
| state specializing in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine; | ||
| (2) two members who are physicians licensed in this | ||
| state specializing in neurology; | ||
| (3) one member who is a psychologist licensed in this | ||
| state specializing in youth psychology; | ||
| (4) one member who is the current or former chief law | ||
| enforcement officer of a county or municipality; and | ||
| (5) three members who represent the public. | ||
| (b) Appointments to the advisory board shall be made without | ||
| regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or | ||
| national origin of the appointee. | ||
| Sec. 2053.052. TERMS. Members of the advisory board serve | ||
| staggered six-year terms, with the terms of three members expiring | ||
| January 31 of each odd-numbered year. | ||
| Sec. 2053.053. VACANCY. If a vacancy occurs during a term | ||
| of a member of the advisory board, the presiding officer of the | ||
| commission, with the commission's approval, shall appoint a | ||
| replacement who meets the qualifications for the vacant position to | ||
| serve for the remainder of the term. | ||
| Sec. 2053.054. PRESIDING OFFICER. (a) The presiding | ||
| officer of the commission shall designate a member of the advisory | ||
| board to serve as the presiding officer of the advisory board for a | ||
| term of two years. | ||
| (b) The presiding officer of the advisory board may vote on | ||
| any matter before the advisory board. | ||
| Sec. 2053.055. DUTIES OF ADVISORY BOARD. The advisory | ||
| board shall provide advice and recommendations to the department on | ||
| technical matters relevant to the administration of this chapter. | ||
| SUBCHAPTER C. POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION AND DEPARTMENT | ||
| Sec. 2053.101. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. The department | ||
| shall: | ||
| (1) administer and enforce this chapter; | ||
| (2) evaluate the qualifications of license | ||
| applicants; | ||
| (3) issue licenses; | ||
| (4) in connection with a hearing under this chapter, | ||
| issue subpoenas, examine witnesses, and administer oaths under the | ||
| laws of this state; and | ||
| (5) investigate persons engaging in practices that | ||
| violate this chapter. | ||
| Sec. 2053.102. RULES. The commission shall adopt rules | ||
| consistent with this chapter for the administration and enforcement | ||
| of this chapter. | ||
| Sec. 2053.103. FEES. The commission by rule shall set fees | ||
| in amounts reasonable and necessary to cover the costs of | ||
| administering this chapter. | ||
| Sec. 2053.104. REPORT OF VIOLATIONS AND OTHER SAFETY | ||
| CONCERNS. The department shall establish and maintain a toll-free | ||
| telephone number for reporting suspected violations of this chapter | ||
| or rules adopted under this chapter and other safety concerns. | ||
| Sec. 2053.105. EVALUATION OF CONCUSSION PROTOCOL. (a) The | ||
| department shall evaluate a concussion protocol a youth sports | ||
| program submits for the department's approval as required by | ||
| Section 2053.202. | ||
| (b) The commission by rule shall establish criteria for the | ||
| approval of a concussion protocol under this section. | ||
| Sec. 2053.106. EVALUATION OF VENUE SAFETY PROTOCOL. (a) | ||
| The department shall evaluate a venue safety protocol a youth | ||
| sports program submits for the department's approval as required by | ||
| Section 2053.203. | ||
| (b) The commission by rule shall establish criteria for the | ||
| approval of a venue safety protocol under this section. | ||
| SUBCHAPTER D. LICENSE | ||
| Sec. 2053.151. LICENSE REQUIRED. A person may not operate a | ||
| youth sports program unless the person holds a license issued in | ||
| accordance with this chapter. | ||
| Sec. 2053.152. APPLICATION; FEE. An applicant for a | ||
| license under this chapter must: | ||
| (1) submit an application in the manner and on a form | ||
| the department prescribes; and | ||
| (2) pay the application fee set by commission rule. | ||
| Sec. 2053.153. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible for a license | ||
| under this chapter, a license applicant must satisfy the | ||
| eligibility requirements established by commission rule. | ||
| Sec. 2053.154. ISSUANCE. The commission shall issue a | ||
| license to an applicant who the commission determines has satisfied | ||
| the requirements of this chapter and commission rules. | ||
| Sec. 2053.155. TERM. A license issued under this chapter is | ||
| valid for the term established by commission rule. | ||
| Sec. 2053.156. RENEWAL. A license issued under this | ||
| chapter may be renewed as provided by commission rules. | ||
| SUBCHAPTER E. OPERATION OF YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMS | ||
| Sec. 2053.201. SAFETY TRAINING REQUIRED. An individual may | ||
| not serve as a coach or trainer for a youth sports program unless | ||
| the person successfully completes a safety training course | ||
| substantially similar to the extracurricular activity safety | ||
| training program developed and adopted by the University | ||
| Interscholastic League under Section 33.202, Education Code. | ||
| Sec. 2053.202. CONCUSSION PROTOCOL REQUIRED. A person may | ||
| not operate a youth sports program unless the person develops and | ||
| implements for the program a concussion protocol approved by the | ||
| department in accordance with Section 2053.105. | ||
| Sec. 2053.203. VENUE SAFETY PROTOCOL REQUIRED. A person | ||
| may not operate a youth sports program unless the person develops | ||
| and implements a venue safety protocol approved by the department | ||
| in accordance with Section 2053.106 for the venue at which the | ||
| program will operate. | ||
| SUBCHAPTER F. DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS AND ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES | ||
| Sec. 2053.251. DISCIPLINARY ACTION. In accordance with | ||
| Section 51.353, the commission or executive director may deny, | ||
| revoke, or suspend a license, refuse to renew a license, place on | ||
| probation a person whose license has been suspended, or reprimand a | ||
| license holder for a violation of this chapter, a rule adopted under | ||
| this chapter, or an order of the commission or executive director. | ||
| Sec. 2053.252. ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES. The commission, | ||
| department, or executive director may enforce this chapter, a rule | ||
| adopted under this chapter, or an order of the commission or | ||
| executive director as provided by Subchapters F and G, Chapter 51. | ||
| SECTION 2. Not later than May 1, 2026, the Texas Commission | ||
| of Licensing and Regulation shall adopt the rules, procedures, and | ||
| fees necessary to administer Chapter 2053, Occupations Code, as | ||
| added by this Act. | ||
| SECTION 3. (a) Not later than January 1, 2026, the presiding | ||
| officer of the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation shall | ||
| appoint members to the advisory board created under Section | ||
| 2053.051, Occupations Code, as added by this Act. | ||
| (b) Notwithstanding Section 2053.053, Occupations Code, as | ||
| added by this Act, in making the initial appointments to the | ||
| advisory board, the presiding officer of the commission shall | ||
| designate three members to serve terms expiring January 31, 2027, | ||
| three members to serve terms expiring January 31, 2029, and three | ||
| members to serve terms expiring January 31, 2031. | ||
| SECTION 4. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this | ||
| section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
| (b) Section 2053.151, Occupations Code, as added by this | ||
| Act, and Subchapter F, Chapter 2053, Occupations Code, as added by | ||
| this Act, take effect September 1, 2026. | ||
