Bill > HB563

This bill establishes a mechanism to enforce a provision within the CHOOSE Act, which aims to expand educational opportunities in Alabama, ensuring that students participating in the CHOOSE Act are not discriminated against in interscholastic athletics. It clarifies that the CHOOSE Act's existing language regarding athletic eligibility, which states it does not change eligibility rules governed by associations like the Alabama High School Athletic Association, is intended to prevent students from being barred from sports solely because they are CHOOSE Act participants. The bill defines "CHOOSE Act Participant" broadly to include students, their parents, and participating schools, and "Interscholastic Athletic Association" to encompass organizations that regulate K-12 sports and their personnel. Crucially, it grants CHOOSE Act participants the right to file a civil lawsuit against these athletic associations to stop any rules or actions that limit a CHOOSE Act student's athletic participation based on their CHOOSE Act status, or to prevent retaliation for advocating for such participation. The bill prioritizes allowing CHOOSE Act students to participate in sports, presumes irreparable harm and public interest in granting injunctions, and allows for the recovery of actual economic damages and attorney fees for prevailing CHOOSE Act participants.