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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requiring public school students to compete in |
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interscholastic athletic competitions based on sex and a study |
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conducted by the University Interscholastic League on the effects |
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of allowing a student to participate in an athletic competition |
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designated for the sex opposite to the student's sex. |
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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 33.0832 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 33.0832. INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC COMPETITION BASED |
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ON SEX. (a) In this section, "league" means the University |
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Interscholastic League. |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), an |
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interscholastic athletic team sponsored or authorized by a school |
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district or open-enrollment charter school may not allow a student |
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to compete in an interscholastic athletic competition sponsored or |
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authorized by the district or school that is designated for the sex |
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opposite to the student's sex as correctly stated on: |
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(1) the student's official birth certificate; or |
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(2) if the student's official birth certificate is |
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unobtainable, another government record. |
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(c) An interscholastic athletic team described by |
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Subsection (b) may allow a female student to compete in an |
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interscholastic athletic competition that is designated for male |
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students if a corresponding interscholastic athletic competition |
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designated for female students is not offered or available. |
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(d) The league shall conduct a study to determine if |
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allowing a student to participate in an interscholastic athletic |
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competition that is sponsored or authorized by a school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school and is designated for the sex |
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opposite to the student's sex: |
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(1) causes disruptions among the student's |
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interscholastic athletic team; or |
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(2) restricts opportunities for students of the sex |
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for which the competition is designated. |
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(e) Not later than December 1, 2026, the league shall submit |
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to the legislature a report on the results of the study conducted |
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under Subsection (d) and any recommendations for legislative or |
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other action. |
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(f) The league shall adopt rules to implement this section, |
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provided that the rules must be approved by the commissioner in |
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accordance with Section 33.083(b). |
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(g) This section expires September 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2021. |