Existing law authorizes the formation of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association to control, supervise and regulate all interscholastic athletic events and other interscholastic events in public schools in this State. (NRS 385B.050) Under existing law, the Association is required to adopt rules and regulations as is necessary to govern such interscholastic activities and events. (NRS 385B.060) Section 2 of this bill requires the Association to adopt regulations that: (1) set forth the process for the Association to designate a sanctioned sport; (2) set forth standards for determining, without limitation, the rules governing such sanctioned sports; and (3) prioritize the designation of club sports as a sanctioned sport. Section 2 additionally requires such regulations to be published on the Internet website maintained by the Association. Section 5 of this bill requires the Association to adopt such regulations not later than October 1, 2025. If such regulations are not adopted on or before October 1, 2025, section 2 transfers the authority to adopt such regulations to the Nevada Association of School Superintendents. Finally, section 2 provides that a school that is a member of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association is not required to take certain actions, including, without limitation, establishing an athletic program, for any sport that is sanctioned as a result of such regulations.
Under section 2, such regulations must authorize a person to submit a request for the Association to designate a sanctioned sport and require the Association to approve or deny the request for designation of the sanctioned sport not later than 1 year after the Association receives the request. If the Association fails to act on such a request and adopt any necessary regulations within 1 year after the Association receives the request, section 2 transfers the authority to act on such a request and adopt any necessary regulations to the Nevada Association of School Superintendents.
Existing law establishes the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Education and prescribes the duties of the Committee. (NRS 218E.320, 218E.330, 218E.615) Section 2.3 of this bill: (1) establishes the Subcommittee on Interscholastic Activities of the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Education; and (2) sets forth the membership of the Subcommittee. Section 2.5 of this bill sets forth requirements governing: (1) meetings of the Subcommittee; and (2) compensation and pier diem allowance and travel expenses for members of the Subcommittee. Finally, section 2.7 of this bill authorizes the Subcommittee to, without limitation: (1) review and comment on any action, activity or administrative policy, rule or regulation of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association; (2) conduct related investigations and hold hearings; and (3) review interscholastic activities and events and competitions in this State to ensure compliance with certain federal laws.
Section 5.3 of this bill requires the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association to adopt: (1) regulations designating lacrosse as a sanctioned sport for boys and as a sanctioned sport for girls beginning with the 2026-2027 school year; and (2) the rules and regulations necessary to allow pupils to participate in lacrosse as a sanctioned sport beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. Under section 2, if the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association does not adopt such rules and regulations: (1) the authority to adopt such rules and regulations transfers to the Nevada Association of School Superintendents; (2) lacrosse must be conducted as a sanctioned sport under the rules prescribed by the Nevada Association of School Superintendents until such time as the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association adopts regulations to amend such rules; and (3) the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association is required to transfer a payment in the amount of $25,000 to the Nevada Association of School Superintendents to defray costs associated with adopting such regulations. Finally, section 5.3 requires the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association to provide to the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Education quarterly reports of the progress of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association in implementing lacrosse as a sanctioned sport.
Section 5.7 of this bill requires the Subcommittee on Interscholastic Activities of the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Education to conduct an interim study of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association during the 2025-2026 interim.