New House Bill Could Alter the Landscape of Texas High School Sports

Texas high school sports has produced some of the best athletes who have stamped their mark in the professional leagues. While that statement will remain accurate, a new house bill could make it easier for players to switch schools.

State Representative Barbara Gervin-Hawkins introduced House Bill 619 on Nov. 12, 2024. This proposal will take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote of all members elected to each house. If it doesn’t meet that number, the text states that the bill will take effect on Sept. 1, 2025. In the rule’s exact words, Section 1 (a-1) states:

“Any child, other than a high school graduate, who is younger than 19 years of age and eligible for enrollment in grades 9 through 12 on September 1 of any school year may transfer not more than once for an athletic participation purpose from the child’s school district of residence to another district in this state if both the receiving district and the applicant’s parent or person standing in parental relation to the applicant jointly approve and timely agree in writing to the transfer for an athletic participation purpose. The receiving district may not deny a transfer application under this subsection on the basis of a child’s sex, race, national origin, ancestral language, or disability. A transfer under this subsection remains effective until the child graduates from the receiving district, unless the child withdraws from the receiving district.”

Before House Bill 619, Texas high school sports student-athletes who transferred could face stiff penalties from the University Interscholastic League. However, this law allows student-athletes to transfer once to a school outside their district without punishment. In the bill’s exact words:

“The University Interscholastic League may not penalize or sanction a student for transferring to a school district for an athletic participation purpose or penalize or sanction the school district that receives the transferring student if the transfer meets the requirements of Section 25.036(a-1).”

The limitation is that Texas high school sports participants can only transfer once. Therefore, the transferee must stay in the new school until graduation. Legislators in the Lone Star State will discuss the bill’s merits and disadvantages before voting.