Bill > S1358

Introduced Session

This bill requires the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) to allow public high schools in the same school district to enter into a cooperative sports program for any sport at the varsity level if either of the schools demonstrates an inability to field a team at the varsity level due to: a decline in interest or participation in the sport at one of the schools that impacts the ability of that school to safely field a team; or budgetary constraints which force the elimination of certain sports programs at one of the schools. Under the current rules of the NJSIAA, schools are prohibited from entering into cooperative sports programs for basketball, baseball, softball and spring track, and in football if one of the schools is classified as a Group III school. This bill requires the NJSIAA to allow the schools to enter into cooperative sports programs regardless of the sport or the member schools' Group classification. The bill also permits school districts to allow students who attend nonpublic schools to try out for, and participate in, a high school interscholastic athletics team or squad in the student's district of residence if the district is unable to field a team due to a decline in interest or participation in the sport that impacts the ability of the district to safely field a team or squad, and if the nonpublic school does not sponsor a high school interscholastic sports team or squad in the sport in which the student wishes to participate. Comparable provisions are included in the bill that will permit school districts to also allow homeschooled students and charter school students to try out for, and participate in, a high school interscholastic athletics team or squad in the district. Public school students who may wish to participate in a school-sponsored high school interscholastic athletics team or squad at a charter school would also be permitted to do so, under similar criteria. School districts and charter schools are permitted to charge students who participate in a school-sponsored high school interscholastic athletics team or squad pursuant to this bill, other than students with a financial hardship, a fee no greater than the actual cost per pupil of participating in the sport.

AI Summary

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Shirley Turner (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee (on 02/10/2020)

Official Document