House Bill 25 aims to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, concerning interscholastic athletics by introducing new regulations for public schools and public charter schools. The bill prohibits these schools from using public funds to join or maintain membership in any association that restricts student participation in athletics based on transfers, provided the transfer is no more than once and does not include completion of the highest grade at the previous school. Additionally, it mandates that associations comply with open meeting laws, although they may hold closed meetings to discuss confidential information as protected by relevant privacy laws.

The bill also establishes requirements for notifying athletic associations about students placed in foster care, ensuring that consent is obtained from parents or guardians before such notifications are made. Furthermore, it requires local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to document their compliance with these regulations annually and submit reports to the Department of Education. The bill includes provisions for annual audits of voluntary associations that govern interscholastic sports, with costs borne by the associations themselves. Notably, several existing sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated are deleted as part of this legislative update. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-2-132, 49-2-136, 49-6-416