SB 303 — TO ALLOW A RESIDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PERMIT A PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENT TO PARTICIPATE IN AN INTERSCHOLASTIC ACTIVITY AT THE RESIDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
Last action — Notification that SB303 is now Act 644
-
✓Introduced
-
✓In Committee
-
✓Passed Senate
-
✓Passed House
-
✓To Executive
-
6Enacted
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 25, 2025. Enacted.
Signed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Republican) on April 18, 2025.
Odds of enactment
High chanceBased on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.
Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.
A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.
Prognosis
-
Enacted
Current position in the legislative process.
-
2 sponsors
2 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
0 added · 2 removedPlain-language change summary
In the latest version of Bill SB 303, references to "Act 644 of the Regular Session" and the approval date of "4/16/25" have been removed. This change likely means that the bill is no longer directly tied to or dependent on that previous act or its timeline, which could simplify its implementation. This streamlining might make it easier for the new bill to pass, as it won't need to coordinate with prior legislation or its specific approval date.
Act 644 of the Regular Session State of Arkansas As Engrossed:
S3/6/25 SB303 /s/Dees 3 APPROVED:5 7 9 3 03-06-2025 14:13:48 TNL210
4/16/25 6 8 3 03-06-2025 14:13:48 TNL210
AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.
-
6-18-237
6-18-237. Participation of private school students in interscholastic activities at public schools — Definitions.
This section creates a new legal provision allowing private school students to participate in interscholastic activities at public schools under certain conditions.
-
6-18-237(a)(1)
“Athletic activity” means a varsity sport or another competitive sports-related contest, game, event, or exhibition that involves an individual student or teams of students either among schools within a resident school district or between schools outside of the resident school district;
Defines 'Athletic activity' for the purposes of this section.
-
6-18-237(a)(2)
“Interscholastic activity” means an activity between schools subject to rules of the Arkansas Activities Association that is:
Defines 'Interscholastic activity' to clarify what activities are covered by this provision.
-
6-18-237(a)(2)(A)
Outside the regular curriculum of a public school district, including without limitation an athletic activity, a fine arts program, or a special interest club or group; and
Specifies that interscholastic activities can include various programs outside the regular curriculum.
-
6-18-237(a)(2)(B)
Taught by an individual with a minimum of a high school diploma;
Establishes that interscholastic activities must be conducted by individuals with at least a high school diploma.
-
6-18-237(a)(3)
"Parent" means a parent, legal guardian, or person standing in loco parentis to a child;
Defines the term 'Parent' for clarity within the provisions.
-
6-18-237(a)(4)
"Private school" means a nonpublic elementary or secondary school that is:
Introduces a definition for 'Private school' to delineate what qualifies as such.
-
6-18-237(a)(4)(A)
A registered nonprofit; and
Specifies that private schools must be registered nonprofits.
-
6-18-237(a)(4)(B)
Accredited or licensed by an accrediting association recognized by the State Board of Education;
Requires that private schools have appropriate accreditation or licensing.
-
6-18-237(a)(5)
"Resident school" means:
Introduces a definition for 'Resident school' to clarify eligibility.
-
6-18-237(a)(5)(A)
A public school to which a student would be assigned by the student's resident school district; or
Defines what constitutes a 'Resident school' as it pertains to assignment.
-
6-18-237(a)(5)(B)
An open-enrollment public charter school with a campus located within the student's resident school district; and
Clarifies that open-enrollment charter schools can also be considered resident schools.
-
6-18-237(a)(6)
“Resident school district” means a public school district in which a private school student's parent resides as determined under § 6-18-202.
Defines 'Resident school district' to establish residence requirements.
-
6-18-237(b)
A resident school district or an open-enrollment public charter school may permit a private school student to pursue participation in an interscholastic activity at the resident school if the private school in which the student is enrolled does not have the interscholastic activity in which the private school student seeks to participate approved by the Arkansas Activities Association.
Allows private school students to participate in interscholastic activities at public schools under specified conditions.
-
6-18-237(c)
A private school student who participates in an interscholastic activity that does not occur during a designated class period at his or her resident school shall be enrolled in a nonacademic class period in his or her resident school that coincides with the interscholastic activity that does not occur during a designated class period in which the private school student participates in order for the resident school district to receive an amount equal to one-sixth (1/6) of the state foundation funding amount provided under § 6-20-2305 for the duration of the private school student's enrollment in the resident school district.
Establishes enrollment requirements for private school students participating in activities outside of regular class hours, affecting funding eligibility for the school district.
Amendments
2 amendments- Amendment S1 March 05, 2025 Show changes
- Amendment S2 March 05, 2025 Show changes
Click Show changes on an amendment above to see how it modifies the bill.
Action History
-
Notification that SB303 is now Act 644
-
DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.
-
Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor.
-
ORDERED ENROLLED
-
Returned from the House as passed.
-
Returned to the Senate as passed.
-
Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
-
Returned by the Committee Do Pass
-
Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on EDUCATION COMMITTEE- HOUSE
-
RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE
-
Ordered immediately transmitted to the House.
-
Read the third time and passed.
-
REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED
-
Amendment # 1 & 2 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed.
-
Placed on second reading for purpose of amendment.
-
Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it Do Pass as amended, Amendment # 1 & 2
-
Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE
-
Filed
Sponsors
- Randy Torres · Primary
- Tyler Dees · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →2 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 136 not signed on
Sponsors (2)
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (136)
136 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 136 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- Who sponsors SB 303?
- SB 303 is sponsored by Randy Torres and Tyler Dees.
- What is the current status of SB 303?
- This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 25, 2025. Enacted.
- Where can I track SB 303?
- Track SB 303 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
Make your voice heard on SB 303
Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.
Stay ahead of SB 303
Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously
One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.
Track this bill →