Bill
Bill > SF2212
IA SF2212
IA SF2212A bill for an act relating to interscholastic athletic scrimmages between schools and nonaccredited home school sports organizations, and including effective date provisions.(See SF 2392.)
summary
Introduced
02/05/2026
02/05/2026
In Committee
02/05/2026
02/05/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
91st General Assembly
Bill Summary
This bill relates to interscholastic athletic scrimmages between schools and nonaccredited home school sports organizations. The bill allows public schools and accredited nonpublic schools that are members or associate members of an organization as defined in Code section 280.13 to participate in interscholastic athletic scrimmages with nonaccredited home school sports organizations. The bill defines “nonaccredited home school sports organization” as team, club, cooperative, or group organized primarily for students receiving competent private instruction or independent private instruction under Code chapter 299A, or for students receiving instruction in nonaccredited, nonpublic settings that are not a member or associate member of an organization as defined in Code section 280.13. Under Code section 280.13, an organization is a corporation, association, or organization that has as one of its primary purposes the sponsoring or administration of extracurricular interscholastic athletic contests or competitions. The bill defines “scrimmage” as a noncompetitive, practice-oriented interscholastic event between teams that simulates game conditions solely for the purpose of evaluating and developing team strategies, individual skills, and conditioning. The bill requires a written agreement between the school and nonaccredited home school sports organization be executed prior to the scrimmage. The agreement must contain the date, time, location, duration, and format of the scrimmage, safety protocols, and other conditions deemed necessary by either party. The agreement must be retained by each party for one year following the scrimmage. The bill provides that each school and nonaccredited home school sports organization shall ensure appropriate liability coverage and assume responsibility for its own participants in a scrimmage. Students participating in a scrimmage on behalf of a nonaccredited home school sports organization are not subject to the eligibility rules of an organization. Lastly, the bill requires that scrimmages do not count toward regular season records, standings, rankings, or postseason eligibility, must be voluntary, limited in duration and intensity, occur at certain facilities, and may not involve official scorekeeping, charging admission, play-by-play announcements, or pay for officials. The bill takes effect July 1, 2027.
AI Summary
This bill allows public schools and accredited nonpublic schools, which are part of an organization that sponsors athletic contests, to participate in practice games, called scrimmages, with home school sports organizations that are not accredited by any official body. A "nonaccredited home school sports organization" is defined as a team or group primarily for students receiving home-based instruction or attending non-accredited private schools, and which is not affiliated with an official athletic organization. A "scrimmage" is specifically defined as a non-competitive practice event designed to help teams improve skills and strategies, not to keep official scores or determine rankings. Before any scrimmage can occur, the school and the home school sports organization must sign a written agreement detailing the date, time, location, duration, safety measures, and any other necessary conditions, and both parties must keep this agreement for one year. Both the school and the home school sports organization are responsible for ensuring they have adequate liability insurance and are accountable for their own participants, with students from nonaccredited home school sports organizations not being subject to the usual eligibility rules of athletic organizations. These scrimmages will not count towards official season records, standings, or eligibility for postseason play, and they must be voluntary, limited in intensity and duration, and cannot involve official scorekeeping, charging admission, play-by-play announcements, or paid officials, with an effective date of July 1, 2027.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 2392. S.J. 332. (on 02/19/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=SF2212 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/SF2212.html |
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