AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.

Starting July 1, 2027, this bill would shift governing authority over Utah high school interscholastic activities—including sports, eligibility rules, school classifications, and transfer policies—from private associations like the Utah High School Activities Association to a new government office, the Office of Interscholastic Activities, created within the State Board of Education. The new office would set rules on student eligibility, transfers, recruiting, classification, post-season standards, and competition logistics, and could contract with a private association through a formal, board-reviewed agreement (renewed at least every four years) to handle day-to-day operations like scheduling, venue logistics, and officiating. A public advisory council—including school representatives, athletic directors, coaches, parents, and at least one student athlete—would help draft and adopt these rules under the office's direction, subject to state board approval, with the council directed to favor inclusive eligibility standards, minimal-friction transfer policies, and separate "rural" and "urban" alignment tracks that account for differing travel and mobility patterns. The bill also would require the association or office to report annually to the state board and to the Legislature's Education Interim Committee on finances, eligibility appeals, and realignment decisions, and would update related definitions and record-keeping and open-meetings requirements to reflect the new governance structure.