SB272 - Revises provisions relating to interscholastic activities. (BDR 34-602)

S.B. 272 - *SB272* SENATE BILL NO. 272–SENATORS KRASNER, STONE, BUCK, STEINBECK; NGUYEN AND PAZINA MARCH 4, 2025 ____________ Referred to Committee on Education SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to interscholastic activities. (BDR 34-602) FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: May have Fiscal Impact. Effect on the State: No. ~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. AN ACT relating to interscholastic activities; requiring the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association to adopt regulations setting forth the process by which a pupil who transfers schools may appeal a determination of eligibility to participate in any sanctioned sport or other interscholastic activity or event at the school under certain circumstances; requiring that any regulations adopted by the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association relating to the eligibility to participate in any sanctioned sport or other interscholastic activity or event at the school to which the pupil transfers authorize a pupil to demonstrate a hardship by providing certain evidence; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Existing law establishes the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, 1 which governs, among other matters, the eligibility and participation of certain 2 children in sanctioned sports and interscholastic activities and events. (NRS 3 385B.050, 385B.060) Under existing regulations, any pupil who transfers to 4 another school is presumed ineligible to participate in any sanctioned sport at the 5 school to which the pupil transfers for 180 school days. (NAC 385B.716) Section 1 6 of this bill requires the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association to adopt 7 regulations setting forth the process by which a pupil may appeal a determination of 8 eligibility to participate in any sanctioned sport or other interscholastic activity or 9 event at the school to which the pupil transfers if the determination imposes a 10 hardship on the pupil. 11 Section 2 of this bill provides that any rules or regulations adopted by the 12 Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association must authorize a pupil to demonstrate 13 – 2 – - *SB272* a hardship by providing evidence that emotional distress was the reason the pupil 14 changed schools, which evidence may include, without limitation, an affidavit 15 signed by the pupil or the written testimony of a physician or mental health 16 professional licensed in this State. 17 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. NRS 385B.060 is hereby amended to read as 1 follows: 2 385B.060 1. The Nevada Interscholastic Activities 3 Association shall adopt rules and regulations in the manner provided 4 for state agencies by chapter 233B of NRS as may be necessary to 5 carry out the provisions of this chapter. The regulations must 6 include provisions governing the eligibility and participation of 7 homeschooled children in interscholastic activities and events. In 8 addition to the regulations governing eligibility, a homeschooled 9 child who wishes to participate must have on file with the school 10 district in which the child resides a current notice of intent of a 11 homeschooled child to participate in programs and activities 12 pursuant to NRS 388D.070. 13 2. The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association shall 14 adopt regulations setting forth: 15 (a) The standards of safety for each event, competition or other 16 activity engaged in by a spirit squad of a school that is a member of 17 the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, which must 18 substantially comply with the spirit rules of the National Federation 19 of State High School Associations, or its successor organization; 20 [and] 21 (b) The qualifications required for a person to become a coach 22 of a spirit squad [.] ; and 23 (c) The process by which a pupil may appeal a determination 24 of eligibility to participate in any sanctioned sport or other 25 interscholastic activity or event at the school to which the pupil 26 transfers made pursuant to this chapter or a regulation adopted 27 pursuant to this chapter if the determination imposes a hardship 28 on the pupil. 29 3. If the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association intends 30 to adopt, repeal or amend a policy, rule or regulation concerning or 31 affecting homeschooled children, the Association shall consult with 32 the Northern Nevada Homeschool Advisory Council and the 33 Southern Nevada Homeschool Advisory Council, or their successor 34 organizations, to provide those Councils with a reasonable 35 opportunity to submit data, opinions or arguments, orally or in 36 writing, concerning the proposal or change. The Association shall 37 – 3 – - *SB272* consider all written and oral submissions respecting the proposal or 1 change before taking final action. 2 4. As used in this section [, “spirit] : 3 (a) “Hardship” means an unusual circumstance that: 4 (1) Is beyond the normal control of a pupil or a parent or 5 legal guardian of the pupil; and 6 (2) Is not related to participation by the pupil in a 7 sanctioned sport. 8 (b) “Spirit squad” means any team or other group of persons 9 that is formed for the purpose of: 10 [(a)] (1) Leading cheers or rallies to encourage support for a 11 team that participates in a sport that is sanctioned by the Nevada 12 Interscholastic Activities Association; or 13 [(b)] (2) Participating in a competition against another team or 14 other group of persons to determine the ability of each team or 15 group of persons to engage in an activity specified in [paragraph 16 (a).] subparagraph (1). 17 Sec. 2. NRS 385B.130 is hereby amended to read as follows: 18 385B.130 1. Any rules and regulations adopted by the 19 Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association governing the 20 eligibility of a pupil who transfers from one school to another school 21 to participate in [an] a sanctioned sport or other interscholastic 22 activity or event must [apply] : 23 (a) Apply equally to public schools and to private schools that 24 are members of the Association [.] ; and 25 (b) Authorize a pupil to demonstrate a hardship by providing 26 evidence that emotional distress was the reason the pupil 27 transferred from one school to another school, which may include, 28 without limitation, an affidavit signed by the pupil or the written 29 testimony of a physician or mental health professional licensed in 30 this State. 31 2. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a 32 pupil who is a child of a military family and transferred schools 33 pursuant to the provisions of chapter 388F of NRS is immediately 34 eligible to participate and practice in any sanctioned sport or other 35 interscholastic activity or event at the school to which the pupil 36 transfers. 37 H