BILL NUMBER: SB 1420	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Mendoza

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2016

   An act to amend Section 35179 of the Education Code, relating to
interscholastic athletics.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1420, as introduced, Mendoza. Interscholastic athletics.
   Existing law provides that each school district governing board
has general control of, and responsibility for, all aspects of the
interscholastic athletic policies, programs, and activities in its
district, as specified. Existing law authorizes school district
governing boards to enter into associations or consortia with other
school district governing boards for the purpose of governing
regional or statewide interscholastic athletic programs, as
specified. Existing law prohibits voluntary interscholastic athletic
associations from discriminating against, or denying the benefits of
any program to, any person on the basis of specified personal
characteristics. Existing law also prohibits voluntary
interscholastic athletic associations from denying a school from
participation in interscholastic athletic activities because of the
religious tenets of the school.
   This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 35179 of the Education Code is amended to read:

   35179.  (a) Each school district governing board shall have
general control of, and be responsible for, all aspects of the
interscholastic athletic policies, programs, and activities in its
district, including, but not  necessarily  limited to,
eligibility, season of sport, number of sports, personnel, and sports
facilities. In addition, the  school district governing 
board shall ensure that all interscholastic policies, programs, and
activities in its district are in compliance with state and federal
law.
   (b)  Governing   School   district
governing  boards may enter into associations or consortia with
other  school district governing  boards for the purpose of
governing regional or statewide interscholastic athletic programs by
permitting the public schools under their jurisdictions to enter into
a voluntary association with other schools for the purpose of
enacting and enforcing rules relating to eligibility for, and
participation in, interscholastic athletic programs among and between
schools.
   (c) Each  school district  governing board, or its
designee, shall represent the individual schools located within its
jurisdiction in any voluntary association of schools formed or
maintained pursuant to this section.
   (d) No voluntary interscholastic athletic association, of which
any public school is a member, shall discriminate against, or deny
the benefits of any program to, any person on any basis prohibited by
Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 200) of Part  1.
  1 of Division 1 of Title 1. 
   (e) Notwithstanding any other  provision of  law,
no voluntary interscholastic athletic association shall deny a
school from participating in interscholastic athletic activities
because of the religious tenets of the school,  regardless
  irrespective  of whether that school is directly
controlled by a religious organization.
   (f) Interscholastic athletics is defined as those policies,
programs, and activities that are formulated or executed in
conjunction with, or in contemplation of, athletic contests between
two or more schools, either public or private.