Texas Senate bill by Sen. Paxton mandates UIL participation for non-enrolled students

Passed bill authored by State Sen. Angela Paxton seeks to expand access to University Interscholastic League activities for non-enrolled students, aiming to standardize eligibility and participation rules across public schools in Texas, according to the Texas Legislature website.

In the Senate, four Democrats and 19 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while seven Democrats and one Republican opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the House, 20 Democrats and 84 Republicans voted in favor, while 35 Democrats voted against it.

Angela Paxton introduced the bill in the Texas Senate on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, ahead of the official start of the 89th regular legislative session on Jan. 14, 2025.

Paxton graduated from Baylor University with a BS.

Paxton, a Republican, was elected to the Texas State Senate in 2019 to represent the state’s 8th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Van Taylor.

According to the Texas Legislature, the bill’s official text was summarized as follows: ‘Relating to participation by non-enrolled students in University Interscholastic League-sponsored activities’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill mandates that public schools participating in University Interscholastic League (UIL) activities allow non-enrolled students, including those from private and home schools, to join if they meet eligibility criteria. These students must adhere to the same requirements as enrolled students, such as age, fees, and conduct. Districts can opt-out by a board vote but must apply the same enrollment formula for UIL classification. Non-enrolled students can only partake in UIL activities at schools within their residential district unless the local school opts out, allowing participation at the nearest eligible school. They must demonstrate academic proficiency for eligibility and maintain passing grades throughout the year. The bill asserts that the state’s educational agencies cannot exert control over these students beyond necessary UIL compliance. Immunization rules apply equally to non-enrolled and public school students. This act begins in the 2025-26 school year, or earlier if passed by a two-thirds legislative vote.

The bill was co-authored by Sen. Donna Campbell (Republican – District 25) and Sen. Adam Hinojosa (Republican – District 27).

The bill received its final legislative approval on Tuesday, May 27, and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, June 20.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.