SENATE BILL 384

56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2023

INTRODUCED BY

Antonio Maestas

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO SCHOOL ACTIVITIES; PROHIBITING COACHES FROM RECRUITING STUDENTS TO PLAY SPORTS AT A DIFFERENT SCHOOL; PROHIBITING SCHOOLS FROM RESTRICTING PARTICIPATION IN AN ATHLETIC ACTIVITY WHEN THE STUDENT PARTICIPATED IN THAT SCHOOL'S ATHLETIC ACTIVITY WHILE ATTENDING A DIFFERENT SCHOOL; PROVIDING THAT STUDENTS MAY PRACTICE WITH A TEAM DURING THE SEMESTER IN WHICH THE STUDENT TRANSFERRED SCHOOLS BUT MAY ONLY COMPETE THE FOLLOWING SEMESTER; ALLOWING EIGHTH GRADERS TO PLAY HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS WITHOUT LOSING A SEASON OF ELIGIBILITY.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of Chapter 22, Article 2 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] SCHOOL ACTIVITIES--ELIGIBILITY.--

          A. A coach or a surrogate of a coach shall not recruit or induce a student to participate in an athletic activity at another school.

          B. A high school student shall not be prohibited from participating in an athletic activity when that student participated in that school's athletic activity while attending a different school.

          C. If a student transfers to another school during a semester, the student may participate in the practice of an athletic activity during the semester in which the student transferred to the school but shall not compete in the athletic activity until the semester following the semester in which the student transferred to the school.

          D. A student in the eighth grade is eligible to participate in a high school athletic activity without losing a season of eligibility to participate in that athletic activity in high school.

          E. As used in this section, "athletic activity" means a middle school, junior high school or high school sport regulated by the New Mexico activities association."

- 2 -