Enrolled Copy H.B. 163
1 PROTECTING STUDENT RELIGIOUS AND MORAL
2 BELIEFS REGARDING ATHLETIC UNIFORM
3 REQUIREMENTS
4 2023 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Chief Sponsor: Candice B. Pierucci
7 Senate Sponsor: Kirk A. Cullimore
8 Cosponsors: Sahara Hayes Karen M. Peterson
9 Cheryl K. Acton Ken Ivory Susan Pulsipher
10 Melissa G. Ballard Tim Jimenez Judy Weeks Rohner
11 Kera Birkeland Dan N. Johnson Mike Schultz
12 Jefferson S. Burton Marsha Judkins Rex P. Shipp
13 Kay J. Christofferson Jason Kyle Robert M. Spendlove
14 Tyler Clancy Karianne Lisonbee Raymond P. Ward
15 James Cobb Anthony E. Loubet Christine F. Watkins
16 Paul A. Cutler Steven J. Lund Ryan D. Wilcox
17 Jennifer Dailey-Provost Ashlee Matthews
18 Stephanie Gricius Carol S. Moss
19 Katy Hall Michael J. Petersen
20
21 LONG TITLE
22 General Description:
23 This bill addresses requirements for uniforms worn while participating in certain school
24 athletic activities.
25 Highlighted Provisions:
26 This bill:
27 < defines terms;
28 < provides that certain associations and educational organizations may not prohibit a
H.B. 163 Enrolled Copy
29 student athlete from wearing religious clothing, or other clothing consistent with the student
30 athlete's beliefs, while participating in an athletic activity; and
31 < requires certain associations and educational organizations to provide the clothing
32 described in the preceding paragraph if the association or educational organization
33 requires that the clothing be a certain material, style, or color.
34 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
35 None
36 Other Special Clauses:
37 This bill provides a special effective date.
38 Utah Code Sections Affected:
39 AMENDS:
40 53G-7-801, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 223
41 ENACTS:
42 53G-7-804, Utah Code Annotated 1953
43
44 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
45 Section 1. Section 53G-7-801 is amended to read:
46 53G-7-801. Definitions.
47 As used in this part:
48 (1) "Association" means an organization that governs or regulates a student's
49 participation in an athletic activity.
50 (2) "Athletic activity" means physical education instruction or a sports event that is:
51 (a) sponsored or regulated by an association or educational organization; or
52 (b) authorized to take place in an association's or educational organization's facilities.
53 (3) "Athletic uniform" means clothing, headwear, shoes, or other items worn for
54 participation in an athletic activity that are required to be:
55 (a) a specified style, length, material, or color;
56 (b) worn in a specified manner; or
-2-
Enrolled Copy H.B. 163
57 (c) worn with or without other items of clothing or headwear.
58 (4) "Educational organization" means:
59 (a) the state board;
60 (b) an LEA; or
61 (c) a school sports team.
62 [(1)] (5) "Principal" includes the chief administrator of a school that does not have a
63 principal.
64 [(2)] (6) "School" means a public school, including a charter school.
65 [(3)] (7) "School official" means the principal of a school or the local school board for
66 a school district.
67 (8) "School sports team" means a team on which the student represents the student's
68 school in competition against another school or in competition against other students within the
69 same school.
70 [(4)] (9) "School uniform" means the same as that term is defined in Section
71 53G-7-501.
72 Section 2. Section 53G-7-804 is enacted to read:
73 53G-7-804. Requirements for uniforms for students participating in an athletic
74 activity.
75 (1) An association or educational organization that requires a student to wear an
76 athletic uniform for participation in an athletic activity may not prohibit the student from:
77 (a) wearing religious clothing with the athletic uniform; or
78 (b) wearing clothing under, or with, but not substantially covering, the athletic uniform
79 to, consistent with the student's religious or moral beliefs, cover or conceal parts of the
80 student's body that are not covered or concealed by the athletic uniform.
81 (2) (a) A student has the right to, while participating in a school-related athletic activity
82 or an athletic activity using school facilities, wear clothing as described in Subsection (1).
83 (b) The prohibition described in Subsection (1) and the right described in Subsection
84 (2)(a) apply regardless of whether the student wears, or is required to wear, an athletic uniform
-3-
H.B. 163 Enrolled Copy
85 while participating in the athletic activity.
86 (3) If an association or educational organization places requirements on religious
87 clothing or other clothing described in Subsection (1) or (2), other than the material, style, or
88 color of the uniform itself, the association or organization:
89 (a) shall provide the clothing at the association's or educational organization's expense;
90 and
91 (b) may not impose a requirement in relation to the clothing, including the material,
92 color, style, or manner of wearing the clothing, that violates the student's religious or moral
93 beliefs.
94 Section 3. Effective date.
95 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2023.
-4-
Statutes affected: Introduced: 53G-7-801
Amended: 53G-7-801
Enrolled: 53G-7-801