Enrolled Copy H.C.R. 16
1 CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING STUDENT
2 ATHLETES' RIGHT TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND
3 MODESTY
4 2022 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Chief Sponsor: Candice B. Pierucci
7 Senate Sponsor: Kirk A. Cullimore
8 Cosponsors: Sandra Hollins Val L. Peterson
9 Nelson T. Abbott Ken Ivory Stephanie Pitcher
10 Cheryl K. Acton Dan N. Johnson Susan Pulsipher
11 Carl R. Albrecht Marsha Judkins Adam Robertson
12 Melissa G. Ballard Brian S. King Judy Weeks Rohner
13 Stewart E. Barlow Michael L. Kohler Angela Romero
14 Gay Lynn Bennion Karen Kwan Douglas V. Sagers
15 Kera Birkeland Bradley G. Last Travis M. Seegmiller
16 Brady Brammer Rosemary T. Lesser Rex P. Shipp
17 Joel K. Briscoe Karianne Lisonbee V. Lowry Snow
18 Walt Brooks Steven J. Lund Robert M. Spendlove
19 Jefferson S. Burton Phil Lyman Jeffrey D. Stenquist
20 Scott H. Chew A. Cory Maloy Andrew Stoddard
21 Kay J. Christofferson Ashlee Matthews Keven J. Stratton
22 Clare Collard Kelly B. Miles Mark A. Strong
23 Jennifer Dailey-Provost Carol Spackman Moss Jordan D. Teuscher
24 James A. Dunnigan Jefferson Moss Steve Waldrip
25 Steve Eliason Calvin R. Musselman Raymond P. Ward
26 Joel Ferry Merrill F. Nelson Christine F. Watkins
27 Matthew H. Gwynn Doug Owens Elizabeth Weight
28 Stephen G. Handy Michael J. Petersen Douglas R. Welton
29 Suzanne Harrison Karen M. Peterson Jon Hawkins
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30 Mark A. Wheatley 33 Brad R. Wilson
31 Stephen L. Whyte 34 Mike Winder
32 Ryan D. Wilcox
35
36 LONG TITLE
37 General Description:
38 This resolution encourages all municipalities, public and private K-12 schools,
39 universities, and organizations supporting youth athletic teams and activities to allow
40 youth to wear religious clothing or headwear or to modify their uniforms to
41 accommodate religious beliefs or personal values of modesty without barriers or
42 limitations.
43 Highlighted Provisions:
44 This resolution:
45 < acknowledges that all children and youth should have access to athletic teams and
46 activities without barriers and limitations; and
47 < encourages all municipalities, public and private schools, and organizations that
48 support athletic teams and activities to revise internal policies and allow all children
49 and youth participating in athletic activities to wear religious clothing or headwear
50 or to modify their uniforms to accommodate religious beliefs and personal values of
51 modesty.
52 Special Clauses:
53 None
54
55 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
56 WHEREAS, Utah's children and youth participate in team sports and other athletic
57 activities through municipal youth sports programs, public and private K-12 schools, colleges,
58 universities, leagues, and clubs;
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59 WHEREAS, participating in athletic teams and activities has many positive benefits for
60 children and youth, like helping them develop friendships, develop leadership and teamwork
61 skills, improve academic performance, improve mental and physical health, learn
62 responsibility, and can lead to college scholarships and other enriching opportunities;
63 WHEREAS, if children and youth are excluded from athletic teams or activities at a
64 young age, many will be hesitant to seek these opportunities again and miss out on the benefits
65 and opportunities that would otherwise be available to them;
66 WHEREAS, children and youth who want to participate in athletic teams or activities
67 should have access to those opportunities from an early age without barriers or limitations;
68 WHEREAS, municipalities, schools, and organizations that support athletic teams and
69 activities should not use policies and practices that exclude children and youth who seek to
70 observe the tenants of their religion or personal values of modesty through their clothing from
71 participating, particularly with prohibitions against modifying uniforms to accommodate
72 religious clothing and headwear and making modesty adjustments to uniforms, or by making it
73 difficult to obtain permission to do so;
74 WHEREAS, over the past several years, many municipalities, states, and youth athletics
75 organizations across the country and in Utah have created policies to allow young athletes to
76 participate in athletic teams or activities while accommodating religious practices and beliefs
77 and personal values of modesty without needing uniform waivers; and
78 WHEREAS, all schools and organizations in the state have an opportunity to foster the
79 same inclusivity for all young athletes:
80 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
81 Governor concurring therein, encourages all municipalities, local education agencies, private
82 K-12 schools, colleges, universities, leagues, athletic associations, and clubs with youth athletic
83 teams or activities to evaluate and revise any policies and practices that prevent aspiring young
84 athletes from participating, particularly those that would prevent participants from wearing
85 religious clothing and headwear while participating, or prevent them from modifying athletic
86 uniforms to accommodate religious practices and beliefs or sincerely held values about
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87 modesty.
88 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and Governor encourage the State
89 Board of Education and all local education agency governing boards to create policies allowing
90 students to modify athletic uniforms to accommodate their religious clothing, headwear,
91 practices and beliefs, or personal values of modesty without uniform waivers.
92 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and Governor commend all
93 organizations in the state that have proactively taken steps to allow children and youth
94 participating in athletic teams and activities to wear religious clothing and headwear or make
95 modesty adjustments to athletic uniforms, creating an inclusive environment for all of Utah's
96 aspiring young athletes.
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