Proposed Texas Bill Could Reshape High School Athletics with One-Time Transfer Rule

House Bill 619 would allow Texas high school athletes a one-time district transfer without UIL penalties, starting in the 2025-26 school year

Duncanville senior receiver Ayson Theus. / Photo by Michael Horbovetz (2024)

Huge changes could be coming to Texas high school sports scene if a proposed house bill gets passed.

If House Bill 619, proposed by Texas House state representative Barbara Gervin Hawkins, becomes law, high school athletes in the state would be permitted to transfer, once, to a school outside of the district in which they live for athletic purposes.

Under the proposed bill, any student-athlete wishing to transfer to another school district, beginning on Sep. 1, 2025 would be able to do so and the athlete's current district would not be allowed to deny the transfer.

The primary stipulation is that all athletes who take advantage of this one-time transfer opportunity would not be allowed to transfer again before they graduate.

The bill would protect student-athletes from any penalties or sanctions from the University Interscholastic League (UIL). For the proposal to become law, it would need a two-thirds vote from the Texas House of Representatives.

Huge changes could come to Texas HS sports if House Bill 619 passes #txhsfb #txlege pic.twitter.com/KHAIIwgHsd

— Texas Football Life (@txfblife) December 18, 2024

Here is the text of proposed House Bill 619 by Gervin Hawkins:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the transfer for an athletic participation purpose of a student from the school district of the student's residence to another district. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 

SECTION 1.  Section 25.036, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:

(a-1) Any child, other than a high school graduate, who is younger than 19 years of age and eligible for enrollment in grades 9 through 12 on September 1 of any school year may transfer not more than once for an athletic participation purpose from the child's school district of residence to another district in this state if both the receiving district and the applicant's parent or person standing in parental relation to the applicant jointly approve and timely agree in writing to the transfer for an athletic participation purpose. The receiving district may not deny a transfer application under this subsection on the basis of a child's sex, race, national origin, ancestral language, or disability. A transfer under this subsection remains effective until the child graduates from the receiving district, unless the child withdraws from the receiving district. 

SECTION 2.  Section 33.081, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:

(b-1) The University Interscholastic League may not penalize or sanction a student for transferring to a school district for an athletic participation purpose, or penalize orsanction the school district that receives the transferring student, if the transfer meets the requirements of Section25.036(a-1).   

SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.        

SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

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