WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2024 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

Senate Bill 813

By Senators Grady, Deeds, Tarr, Weld, Taylor, and Rucker

[Introduced February 16, 2024; referred
to the Committee on Education]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §18-2-25f, relating to allowing students to participate in non-school athletic activities.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 2. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

§18-2-25f. Participation in non-school athletic activities.

The Legislature hereby finds that:

(1) While participation in school-sponsored extracurricular sports is a voluntary opportunity, no student-athlete should be deprived of additional opportunities to advance or showcase their skills purely because they are playing for a school sports team;

(2) Prohibiting a student-athlete from participating in nonschool-sponsored events or activities as a condition for participation on a school-sponsored team is unlawfully arbitrary and is not rationally related to a state purpose; and

(3) A county board of education and the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission may not restrict nor prohibit a student from competing in nonschool-sponsored events or participating on nonschool-sponsored competitive teams as a condition of playing for a school-sponsored extracurricular activity or sport.