Senate education hearing on HB 1633: sponsors seek uniform transfer rules for school athletics; motion not seconded

The bill's sponsor introduced House Bill 1633 to the Senate Education Committee, saying the measure "simply just equalizes the transfer rules relative to athletics in both public and non public schools" by allowing transfers without athletic penalty up until June 1 before a student enters 10th grade and imposing a 365‑day sit‑out period after that date.

The bill's sponsor told the committee the goal is to create a single, consistent rule for transfers involving athletics across public and nonpublic schools and to avoid a transfer portal in high‑school athletics similar to recent developments in college sports. Lance Taylor, executive director of the Arkansas High School Activities Association (AAA), told senators AAA conducted a spring survey of superintendents and principals and that "84.1% of their schools were in favor of this." Taylor also described eight hardship categories in the AAA handbook that can permit immediate athletic eligibility…