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Senate advances bill allowing charter, online‑school students to join extracurriculars; debate centers on fee calculation
Summary
Senate substituted and advanced a bill to allow charter and online‑school students to participate in extracurricular activities at other schools when programs are not available at their home school; sponsors said fees will be averaged at state level to ease burdens on schools.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Senate advanced a substitute version of Senate Bill 36 on a vote that placed the measure on the third‑reading calendar.
Sponsor Sen. Matson told colleagues the bill lets students enrolled in charter or online schools take part in extracurricular activities at other schools when their home school does not offer the program. The substitute changes how the receiving school would calculate fees charged to the sending charter or online programs: instead of each school computing program‑level costs, the state board would average costs centrally. "So that's what this does. It simply allows that fee to be calculated in a centralized way by averaging programs," Matson said.
Senators emphasized the bill does not alter competitive tryout rules. Sen. Matson said students from charter schools would have the right to try out and would not receive preferential treatment; selection remains based on skill. On out‑of‑pocket costs, Matson noted, "If the parents were writing a $600 check to play football, they'd be writing it regardless." Supporters cited cooperation with the High School Activities Association; after debate the chamber ordered the bill read for a third time with a recorded count of 23 yes, 0 nays, 16 absent.
The next step is third reading on the Senate floor; if passed, the bill will be transmitted to the House.
