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(KSL News) -- The House Education Committee today considered restrictions on athletic eligibility for transfer students.
Under the state's current open enrollment policy only students who transfer after enrolling at another school may be restricted for one year, and only if the Utah High School Activities Association deems the move is athletically motivated.
But committee members today looked at a bill that would have required all students who attend a school outside their boundaries to forfeit a year of participation in sports programs.
That bill died in a close vote in committee. The activities association says the measure wouldn't have solved the problem.
Evan Excell, UHSAA Executive Director: "I'm telling you, you will never close the loophole on people moving for athletics if you put this back in as HB98 wanted, where you play, where you reside. You'll never stop that loophole and people jumping across on apartments."
Rep Ann Hardy, House Bill 98 Sponsor: "We've had open enrollment for eleven years now, and they have had that opportunity to fix this problem over that time. And a lot of people would say the problem is getting worse each year, not less."
Representative Ann Hardy, who sponsored the measure, says she may amend the bill and bring it back for further committee consideration.
