HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4620        FILED ON: 10/12/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4245

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Jeffrey Rosario Turco

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to fairness in high school athletics.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Jeffrey Rosario Turco

19th Suffolk

10/12/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4620        FILED ON: 10/12/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4245

By Representative Turco of Winthrop, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Jeffrey Rosario Turco for legislation to authorize schools and students participating in certain athletic programs to seek arbitration to review athletic programs eligibility decisions.  Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act relative to fairness in high school athletics.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 47A the following section:-

Section 47B. (a) A school or student participating in an athletic program pursuant to section 47 may seek arbitration to review athletic program eligibility decisions taken by the school committee or its authorized representative.

(b) The arbitration shall be conducted by 1 or more arbitrators serving on the American Arbitration Association’s National Roster of Arbitrators and Mediators. Each party shall bear the cost of its own representation, and all other costs and fees of the arbitration shall be split equally among the parties involved. The parties shall only commence arbitration after the exhaustion of all remedies internal to the school committee or its authorized representative. The department of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate regulations setting all other minimum standards for neutral third-party arbitration.