HBA-JEK C.S.H.B. 2452 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 2452
By: Hochberg
Public Education
4/8/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The University Interscholastic League (UIL) was created to lead and
organize the extracurricular activities of public schools.  UIL sets
guidelines and procedures for participation in academic and athletic
competitions.  Currently, UIL encourages but does not require each school
to have medical emergency procedures at athletic contests.  In the absence
of a standard medical procedures policy,  some students may return to
competition before fully recovering from injury.  C.S.H.B. 2452 establishes
the University Interscholastic League Medical Board and requires the board
to adopt medical policies and procedures for student participation in UIL
athletic competitions. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the University Interscholastic League
Medical Board in SECTION 1 (Section 33.0841, Education Code) of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2452 amends the Education Code to establish the University
Interscholastic League Medical Board (board).  The bill provides that a
person must be a licensed and practicing medical professional in this state
to be eligible to serve as a member.  The bill provides that the board is
composed of one physician specializing in sports medicine, one physician
specializing in general pediatric medicine, one physician specializing in
orthopedic medicine and working with children or adolescents as an athletic
team physician, one pediatric neurologist or pediatric neurosurgeon, one
physician specializing in family medicine, one representative of the
University Interscholastic League (UIL), one athletic team coach working in
a high school, and one athletic trainer appropriately licensed and working
in a high school, all to be appointed by the governor. 

C.S.H.B. 2452 requires the medical board by rule to adopt no later than
June 1, 2002, a uniform medical policy for students, campuses, and school
districts participating in UIL competitions.  The rules must include
minimum requirements for any physical examinations and medical screenings
conducted to determine student eligibility for UIL athletic competitions as
well as criteria designed to ensure that any student who sustains bodily
injury is medically fit to resume training for or participate in UIL
athletic competition.  The rules must also include procedures designed to
ensure that the parent or guardian of a student who sustains bodily injury
has all of the medical information necessary to make an informed decision
regarding the student's resumption of training for or participation in a
UIL athletic competition. 

The bill provides that a rule adopted by the board is not effective unless
the commissioner of education (commissioner) approves the rule.  The bill
requires the State Executive Committee of UIL to disqualify a school from
UIL athletic competition if the school permits an ineligible student to
participate in the competition in violation of a rule, and requires the
commissioner to determine the duration of the period of disqualification. 


 EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. The Act applies beginning with the
2002-2003 school year. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 2452 differs from the original bill by expanding the membership of
the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Medical Board (board).  The
substitute authorizes the commissioner of education to consult with the
board in approving a medical policy rule and removes the provision that a
rule adopted by UIL or a school district policy that directly affects the
health of students participating in a UIL athletic competition is not
effective unless approved by the board.  The substitute provides that the
board rules must include procedures designed to ensure that any student who
sustains a bodily injury is medically fit to resume training for or
participate in a UIL athletic competition and that the parent or guardian
of such a student has all of the medical information necessary to make an
informed decision regarding the student's resumption of training or
participation.