07 LC 28
3349
Senate
Bill 85
By:
Senators Schaefer of the 50th, Rogers of the 21st, Shafer of the 48th, Pearson
of the 51st, Douglas of the 17th and others
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Part 14 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to other educational programs, so as to provide that
home school students and private school students may participate in
extracurricular activities of public schools; to provide a short title; to
provide a definition; to provide for conditions of participation; to provide for
nondiscrimination against such students; to provide for related matters; to
repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
This
Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Equal Access to Extracurricular
Activities Act."
SECTION
2.
Part
14 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to other educational programs, is amended by adding a new
Code Section 20-2-319.3 to read as follows:
"20-2-319.3.
(a)
As used in this Code section, the term 'extracurricular activities' includes,
but is not limited to, athletics and athletic teams and music, dance, art,
drama, forensics, and other fine arts and individual and team competitions in
such areas.
(b)
A student who is pursuing a course of home study under Code Section 20-2-690 may
participate in extracurricular activities sponsored by or engaged in by the
public school which the student would otherwise attend if not pursuing the home
study course. Such student shall pay any participation or activity fee in an
amount equal to the fee paid by public school participants; the student shall
adhere to the same standards of behavior, responsibility, performance, and code
of conduct as other participants of the team or activity; and the student shall
adhere to the same academic standards as other participants of the team or
activity which shall be confirmed by appropriate documentation provided by the
student to the public school providing the activity in which the student desires
to participate or is participating. No public school shall discriminate against
such students in the selection of teams or in accepting such students for
participation in an extracurricular activity.
(c)
A student who is attending a private school under Code Section 20-2-690 may
participate in extracurricular activities sponsored by or engaged in by the
public school which the student would otherwise attend if not attending the
private school. Such student shall pay any participation or activity fee in an
amount equal to the fee paid by public school participants; the student shall
adhere to the same standards of behavior, responsibility, performance, and code
of conduct as other participants of the team or activity; and the student shall
adhere to the same academic standards as other participants of the team or
activity which shall be confirmed by appropriate documentation provided by the
private school to the public school providing the activity in which the student
desires to participate or is participating. No public school shall discriminate
against such students in the selection of teams or in accepting such students
for participation in an extracurricular activity.
(d)
No public school team or group shall be impeded from competing against any other
public or private team or group merely because the public school´s team or
group utilizes or has students who are pursuing home study courses or attend
private schools under this Code section."
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.