W.Va. Senate tries to revive athlete transfer law - WSAZ
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A West Virginia senator revived his attempt Friday to give high school athletes one chance to switch schools without losing a year of eligibility.
Sen. Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, amended the proposal into House Bill 4389, legislation that would update state laws that that give schools greater freedom to innovate ways to enhance academics.
Opponents say the athletic transfer proposal would lead to widespread recruiting.
Weld disagrees. He contends most transfers occur for academic reasons and that his proposal would fix an inequity in the system.
If passed, it would ensure every student can switch schools once without no impact to their athletic eligibility.
The current rule allows an athlete to select any school before he or she enters ninth grade. Then, unless it involves a change of address or a return to the child’s home school, any switch requires the student athlete to sit out for one year.
Weld’s initial bill passed the Senate 31-3, but it never received consideration by the House Education Committee.
It also received near immediate opposition from the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission and the state’s Athletic Coaches Association
Weld justified his move to revive the proposal, telling fellow senators that inaction by the House Education Committee was likely nothing more than a minor oversight.
“I think it’s important because since the introduction of the bill and sending it to the House, I have received, I cannot tell you how many phone calls to my office of parents of students who have been denied their athletic eligibility and have current lawsuits pending against or actions pending against the SSAC or who had to do the same previously,” he said.
Bernie Dolan, executive director for the SSAC, expressed disappointment.
“We still oppose the bill for the same reasons that we have all along,” he said. “We don’t think it’s accurate or correct academically. We think you’re better off to do it as a ninth grader, but we also think that its going to open up recruiting and make it legal to recruit. and we’re talking about teenagers.”
The House will have a chance to either accept the amendment or reject it and send it back to the Senate.
The 60-day legislative session ends at midnight Saturday.
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source: https://www.wsaz.com/2022/03/11/wva-senate-tries-revive-athlete-transfer-law/
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