SESSION WATCH
Became law SENATE · SESSION 2026 · CHAPTER 2026-93

No. CS/CS/CS/SB 538

Extracurricular Activities
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SPONSOR
Rules; Judiciary; Education Pre-K - 12; Simon
FILED BY
Corey Simon — District 3, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026

Filed under Education.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Extracurricular Activities; Authorizing district school boards to adopt policies for the use of certain funds to provide funding to specified persons relating to extracurricular activities; revising eligibility requirements for a student to participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity; requiring the athletic director or other appropriate administrator to maintain records for all eligible students participating in interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activities at a member school; authorizing a public school to assess an activity fee for certain students; prohibiting a student from participating in interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activities at two different schools within the same school year unless the student meets specified criteria, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Expands student eligibility and restricts cross-school participation.

District boards may now allow booster clubs to pay coaches and activity directors, provided funds are not used for severance pay or compensation.

The definition of an eligible student expands to include home education, charter, private, virtual, and alternative school students, not just traditional public school students.

Home education students may participate in interscholastic or intrascholastic activities at their enrolled school or a district school if their home school does not offer the activity.

A student may not participate in sports at two different schools during the same school year, unless specific exceptions such as military orders or foster care relocation are met.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Booster Club Payment Authority majors. 1001.43(2)(i)

AIPermits district boards to allow booster clubs to pay coaches and activity directors, with specific restrictions on how those funds can be used.

“Any policy authorizing payment by booster clubs or associations may not control the provision of funds except that such funds may not be used for severance pay or for compensation” bill text, line 93 →
§ 2 Expanded Eligibility Definition majors. 1006.15(3)(a)

AIBroadens the definition of an eligible student to include home education, charter, private, virtual, and alternative school students, not just traditional public school students.

“"Eligible student" means a home education student, charter school student, private school student, Florida Virtual School student, alternative school student, or traditional public” bill text, line 118 →
§ 3 Home Education Student Eligibility majors. 1006.15(3)(c)

AIGrants home education students the right to participate in interscholastic or intrascholastic activities at their enrolled school or a district school if their home school does not offer the activity.

“A home education student must meet the requirements of the home education program pursuant to s. 1002.41.” bill text, line 177 →
§ 4 Cross-School Participation majors. 1006.15(3)(e)

AIAllows eligible students to participate in activities at a school other than their enrolled school if the enrolled school does not offer the activity or the student is in a home education program.

“An eligible student may participate in an interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity at a school other than the school in which the student is enrolled” bill text, line 203 →
§ 5 Student Transfer Restrictions majors. 1006.15(3)(10)(a)

AIProhibits a student from participating in sports at two different schools during the same school year unless specific exceptions such as military orders or foster care relocation are met.

“A student may not participate in sports at two different schools during the same school year, unless the student” bill text, line 529 →
§ 6 FHSAA must publish sport-specific rulebooks majors. 1006.20(2)(o)

AICreates a mandatory duty for the state athletic association to write and enforce the actual rules of competition, rather than leaving them to individual districts.

“The FHSAA shall adopt, maintain, and enforce sport specific manuals or handbooks that govern interscholastic competition.” bill text, line 671 →
§ 7 Athletes get a 72-hour window to request scoring accommodations majors. 1006.20(2)(o)

AIGrants students a specific deadline to ask for changes to real-time scoring, with the FHSAA legally required to provide access to those accommodations if the request is timely.

“The FHSAA must ensure that athletes may request exemptions or accommodations from real-time scoring requirements not later than 72 hours before a sanctioned event.” bill text, line 675 →
§ 8 Appeals of eligibility rulings capped at 20 days majors. 1006.20(7)(e)

AILimits the time the FHSAA board has to resolve a student's eligibility appeal, preventing indefinite delays that could cost a student a season.

“The FHSAA's bylaws must establish a timeline for appeals relating to eligibility which may not exceed 20 days after the date of receipt of the appeal.” bill text, line 685 →
TIMELINE
5/26/2026
Chapter No. 2026-93
5/22/2026
Approved by Governor
5/21/2026
Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
3/11/2026
Ordered engrossed, then enrolled
3/11/2026
CS passed as amended; YEAS 37 NAYS 0 -SJ 819
3/11/2026
Concurred in 1 amendment(s) (838301) -SJ 819
3/9/2026
In returning messages
3/9/2026
CS passed as amended; YEAS 104, NAYS 6
3/9/2026
Read 3rd time
3/9/2026
Added to Third Reading Calendar
3/9/2026
Amendment 838301 adopted
3/9/2026
Read 2nd time
3/5/2026
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 3)
3/5/2026
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/9/2026)
3/5/2026
Bill referred to House Calendar
2/19/2026
In Messages
2/19/2026
Immediately certified -SJ 356
2/19/2026
CS passed; YEAS 38 NAYS 0 -SJ 349
2/19/2026
Read 3rd time -SJ 349
2/19/2026
Read 2nd time -SJ 349
2/17/2026
Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/19/26
2/12/2026
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
2/11/2026
CS/CS/CS by Rules read 1st time
2/11/2026
Pending reference review -under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
2/10/2026
CS/CS/CS by- Rules; YEAS 23 NAYS 0
2/5/2026
On Committee agenda-- Rules, 02/10/26, 9:00 am, 412 Knott Building
2/4/2026
Now in Rules
2/4/2026
CS/CS by Judiciary read 1st time
2/4/2026
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
2/3/2026
CS/CS by Judiciary; YEAS 11 NAYS 0
1/29/2026
On Committee agenda-- Judiciary, 02/03/26, 1:00 pm, 110 Senate Building
1/22/2026
CS by Education Pre-K - 12 read 1st time
1/22/2026
Now in Judiciary
1/22/2026
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
1/20/2026
CS by Education Pre-K - 12; YEAS 8 NAYS 0
1/15/2026
On Committee agenda-- Education Pre-K - 12, 01/20/26, 1:00 pm, 412...
1/13/2026
Introduced
12/1/2025
Referred to Education Pre-K - 12; Judiciary; Rules
11/17/2025
Filed
33 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 1001.43
+78 / −0
s. 1006.15
+1136 / −2280
s. 1002.31
+7 / −102
s. 1002.33
+2 / −27
s. 1006.195
+5 / −7
s. 1006.20
+113 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES
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