HSB 605

This bill relates to extracurricular interscholastic athletic activities. _____ The bill provides that if the board of educational examiners requires that a coach complete training on concussions and brain injuries as a condition of renewal of a coaching authorization, the board shall require completion of such training no more frequently than once every two years. The bill establishes requirements for an organization that sponsors extracurricular interscholastic athletic contests or competitions for male students (“organization”) as a condition of registration with the department of education. The bill prohibits the organization from using any factor relating to socioeconomic status when establishing or revising divisions, classifications, or conferences for any sport. The bill requires the organization to accept cash as a form of payment for entry into any extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition sponsored by the organization. The bill prohibits an organization from requiring that tickets for an extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition that is a playoff be purchased online or through other electronic means. The bill provides requirements for scheduling athletic seasons for baseball and soccer. The bill establishes procedures for the organization to survey head coaches and assistant coaches before implementing a change to the starting or ending date of more than days for the athletic seasons of baseball, soccer, golf, tennis, or track and field. The change shall only be implemented if at least percent of the coaches respond to the survey, and percent of the respondents approve of the change. The organization shall provide all responses to the survey to the department of education, which shall verify compliance with the survey requirements. The provisions of the bill other than those relating to training on concussions and brain injuries apply to athletic seasons beginning on or after the effective date of the bill.