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THE BILL ITSELF

CS/CS/HB 1253

Athletics in Public K-12 Schools

VERSION H 1253 c2 · BACK TO THE SUMMARY · OFFICIAL RECORD

underlined language is being added; struck language is being deleted. Line numbers are the Legislature's own — the same ones amendments cite.

1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to athletics in public K-12 schools;
3 amending s. 1006.20, F.S.; requiring the Florida High
4 School Athletic Association to adopt bylaws
5 authorizing certain coaches to support the welfare of
6 a student by using personal funds to provide certain
7 effects to the student; providing requirements for
8 such bylaws; requiring the coach to report such use of
9 personal funds to the association; providing that such
10 use of personal funds is presumed not to be an
11 impermissible benefit; providing exceptions; providing
12 a limitation on the annual amount of personal funds a
13 coach may use per athletic team per year, beginning on
14 a specified date; authorizing other athletic
15 associations to adopt similar bylaws; amending ss.
16 768.135, 1002.20, 1006.165, and 1012.468, F.S.;
17 conforming cross-references; providing an effective
18 date.
20 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
22 Section 1. Present paragraphs (c) through (n) of
23 subsection (2) of section 1006.20, Florida Statutes, are
24 redesignated as paragraphs (d) through (o), respectively, and a
25 new paragraph (c) is added to that subsection, to read:
26 1006.20 Athletics in public K-12 schools.—
27 (2) ADOPTION OF BYLAWS, POLICIES, OR GUIDELINES.—
28 (c) The FHSAA shall adopt bylaws that authorize a coach,
29 employed by a school or school district, to support the welfare
30 of a student he or she coaches by using personal funds to
31 provide, in good faith, effects such as food, transportation,
32 physical therapy, and rehabilitation services. The bylaws must
33 require a parent to provide written consent before a coach may
34 provide such support to a student. The bylaws must also define
35 the term "athletic team" to include junior varsity and varsity
36 levels, based on designation requirements of s. 1006.205(3)(a),
37 and restrict such use of funds to one coach per athletic team.
38 1. A coach who uses personal funds to provide such effects
39 must report such use to the FHSAA in a manner provided by FHSAA
40 bylaw.
41 2. Such use of personal funds is presumed not to be an
42 impermissible benefit, unless such use of personal funds is:
43 a. Not reported;
44 b. Reported and deemed not to be in good faith by the
45 FHSAA; or
46 c. Used for recruiting purposes.
47 3. Beginning July 1, 2026, the maximum amount of personal
48 funds a coach may use per athletic team per year is $15,000.
50 Any other organization governing interscholastic athletic
51 competition in this state may adopt bylaws similar to those
52 required by this paragraph.
53 Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 768.135, Florida
54 Statutes, is amended to read:
55 768.135 Volunteer team physicians; immunity.—
56 (3) A practitioner licensed under chapter 458, chapter
57 459, chapter 460, or s. 464.012 or registered under s. 464.0123
58 who gratuitously and in good faith conducts an evaluation
59 pursuant to s. 1006.20(2)(d) s. 1006.20(2)(c) is not liable for
60 any civil damages arising from that evaluation unless the
61 evaluation was conducted in a wrongful manner.
62 Section 3. Paragraph (b) of subsection (17) of section
63 1002.20, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
64 1002.20 K-12 student and parent rights.—Parents of public
65 school students must receive accurate and timely information
66 regarding their child's academic progress and must be informed
67 of ways they can help their child to succeed in school. K-12
68 students and their parents are afforded numerous statutory
69 rights including, but not limited to, the following:
70 (17) ATHLETICS; PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.—
71 (b) Medical evaluation and electrocardiogram.—Before
72 participating in athletics, students must:
73 1. Satisfactorily pass a medical evaluation each year,
74 unless the parent objects in writing based on religious tenets
75 or practices, in accordance with s. 1006.20(2)(e) s.
76 1006.20(2)(d); and
77 2. As applicable under s. 1006.20, receive an
78 electrocardiogram, unless the parent objects in writing based on
79 religious tenets or practices or secures a certificate of
80 medical exception in accordance with s. 1006.20(2)(e) s.
81 1006.20(2)(d) or the school district is unable to obtain a
82 public or private partnership for the provision of an
83 electrocardiogram pursuant to s. 1006.165.
84 Section 4. Subsection (3) of section 1006.165, Florida
85 Statutes, is amended to read:
86 1006.165 Well-being of students participating in
87 extracurricular activities; training.—
88 (3) Each school district must pursue public and private
89 partnerships to provide low-cost electrocardiograms to the
90 student. A student athlete is exempt from the requirement in s.
91 1006.20(2)(d)4. s. 1006.20(2)(c)4. if he or she resides in a
92 school district that is unable to obtain a public or private
93 partnership to provide an electrocardiogram at a rate of less
94 than $50 per student.
95 Section 5. Paragraph (g) of subsection (2) of section
96 1012.468, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
97 1012.468 Exceptions to certain fingerprinting and criminal
98 history checks.—
99 (2) A district school board shall exempt from the
100 screening requirements set forth in ss. 1012.465 and 1012.467
101 the following noninstructional contractors:
102 (g) An investigator for the Florida High School Athletic
103 Association (FHSAA) who meets the requirements under s.
104 1006.20(2)(f) s. 1006.20(2)(e).
105 This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. Section 6.