The proposed bill amends Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 18, Subchapter 1, to allow students who are members of public school athletic teams to participate in non-school athletic teams of the same sport under specific conditions. The new section, designated as 6-18-114, defines key terms such as "athletic team," "interscholastic activity," "participate," and "season." It stipulates that a student who has engaged in competition for an interscholastic activity may join a non-school athletic team during the same season without losing eligibility for their public school team.
However, the bill also imposes a restriction: students are not permitted to participate with a non-school athletic team on days when their public school team is scheduled for practice, competition, or other activities. This legislation aims to provide students with more opportunities to engage in athletic activities outside of their school teams while maintaining their eligibility for school sports.