Read the full stored bill text
HB103 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB103
9JKK8BP-1
By Representative Hulsey
RFD: Children and Senior Advocacy
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 06-Jan-26
1
2
3
4
5
6
9JKK8BP-1 11/25/2025 GP (L)lg 2025-2296
Page 1
PFD: 06-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
This bill is the Youth Athlete Protection Act.
This bill would require the State Department of
Human Resources (DHR) to develop a model Youth Athlete
Protection Policy to: (i) prevent the abuse of youth
athletes; (ii) set standards for appropriate conduct
between coaches and youth athletes; and (iii) provide
mandatory reporter training for coaches of youth
sports.
This bill would authorize DHR to rely on
national resources, such as the U.S. Center for
SafeSport, when developing the model policy.
This bill would require each youth sports
organization and each local government which provides
individuals under 18 years of age the opportunity to
participate in youth sports to: (i) adopt a Youth
Athlete Protection Policy, which must reflect the
minimum standards of DHR's model policy; (ii) require
coaches, including volunteers, to undergo a criminal
history background check; and (iii) require coaches,
including volunteers, to annually complete mandatory
reporter training.
This bill would require youth sports
organizations and local governments to annually
register with DHR to certify compliance with this act,
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
HB103 INTRODUCED
Page 2
register with DHR to certify compliance with this act,
and would require DHR to publish a list of certified
youth sports organizations and local governemnts. If a
youth sports organization or local government does not
certify compliance, this bill would prohibit the entity
from providing youth sports.
This bill would provide immunity to youth sports
organizations and local governments relating to the
hiring of a coach or acceptance of a coach as a
volunteer, with exceptions.
This bill would also require DHR to adopt rules.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to youth sports organizations; to establish
the Youth Athlete Protection Act; to require the State
Department of Human Resources (DHR) to develop a model Youth
Athlete Protection Policy and mandatory reporter training for
youth sports coaches; to provide standards for the policy and
training relating to the prevention of child abuse; to require
youth sports organizations and local governments that offer
youth sports to implement a Youth Athlete Protection Policy;
to require coaches, including volunteers, to undergo a
criminal history background check and annual mandatory
reporter training to be eligible to act as a youth sports
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
HB103 INTRODUCED
Page 3
reporter training to be eligible to act as a youth sports
coach; to require youth sports organizations and certain local
governments to certify compliance with this act with DHR,
without which the entity is prohibited from offering youth
sports; and to require DHR to adopt rules.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the Youth Athlete Protection Act.
Section 2. For the purposes of this act, the following
terms have the following meanings:
(1) CHILD ABUSE. Physical abuse, sexual abuse or
exploitation, negligent treatment, or mental or emotional
abuse of an individual under 18 years of age.
(2) COACH. An individual employed or volunteering as a
coach, manager, or supervisor of a youth athletic activity.
The term does not include:
a. Any individual who occasionally assists with or
supports a youth athletic activity; or
b. Any employee or volunteer of a youth sports
organization that provides passing, general, or nominal
assistance with or support of a youth athletic activity.
(3) DEPARTMENT. The State Department of Human
Resources.
(4) LOCAL GOVERNMENT. A city, county, or other local
government that provides youth athletes the opportunity to
participate in scheduled competitive or recreational sporting
activities, whether individually or as a team.
(5) YOUTH ATHLETE. An individual under 18 years of age
participating in a youth sports organization.
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
HB103 INTRODUCED
Page 4
participating in a youth sports organization.
(6) YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATION. Any organization that,
as part of its core function, provides youth athletes the
opportunity to participate in scheduled competitive or
recreational sporting activities, whether individually or as a
team. The term does not include any of the following:
a. An organization that only offers sporting activities
incidental to a nonathletic program or lesson.
b. A public or private preK-12 school.
c. A licensed child-care facility, as defined in
Section 38-7-2, Code of Alabama 1975.
d. A public or private institution of higher education.
e. An organization that offers recreational sporting
activities only by providing the opportunity to participate in
unsupervised, unscheduled competitive or recreational sporting
events on a walk-in basis.
Section 3. (a) No later than January 1, 2027, the
department shall adopt and publish a model Youth Athlete
Protection Policy. The department shall consider national
standards relating to the prevention of child abuse, such as
those developed by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, when
developing the model policy. The model policy shall include,
but not be limited to, each of the following:
(1) Standards for prohibited conduct in youth sports.
The policy shall include a list of prohibited conduct by
parents, spectators, coaches, and youth athletes to prevent
the abuse of youth athletes. Prohibited conduct shall include,
but not be limited to, sexual abuse or misconduct, physical
abuse or misconduct, emotional abuse or misconduct, bullying,
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
HB103 INTRODUCED
Page 5
abuse or misconduct, emotional abuse or misconduct, bullying,
harassment, hazing, grooming behaviors, and any other
behaviors that risk the safety of youth athletes.
(2) A code of conduct for parents, spectators, coaches,
and youth athletes to follow. The code of conduct shall
include appropriate one-on-one interactions between players
and coaches and shall address topics including, but not
limited to, appropriate use of electronic communications
between adults and youth athletes, travel supervision
policies, and appropriate use of locker rooms and restrooms.
(3) A mandatory reporting policy for adults who have
knowledge of an act of prohibited conduct.
(b)(1) The department shall require each youth sports
organization and local government to annually certify
compliance with this act. The annual certification shall
include: (i) confirmation that the youth sports organization
or local government has a Youth Athlete Protection Policy that
complies with this act; and (ii) verification that each coach
has satisfactorily completed a criminal history background
check, completed mandatory reporter training, and been
provided a copy of the relevant Youth Athlete Protection
Policy. The department shall publish a list of all certified
youth sports organizations and local governments on the
department's website.
(2) A youth sports organization or local government
that is found to be out of compliance with the requirements of
this act shall immediately suspend the provision of youth
athletic activities until the entity provides documentation to
the department which verifies the entity has come into
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
HB103 INTRODUCED
Page 6
the department which verifies the entity has come into
compliance.
(c) The department shall develop a mandatory reporter
training program for coaches. The mandatory reporter training
shall include, but not be limited to, explanations of: (i) who
is a mandatory reporter and circumstances that must be
reported; (ii) the responsibilities of coaches as it relates
to the reporting of suspected child abuse; (iii) how to
respond to disclosures of child abuse or reports of behavior
that violate the prohibited conduct policy in a supportive and
appropriate manner that meets the mandatory reporting
requirements pursuant to state law; and (iv) child abuse
prevention strategies. In developing the mandatory reporter
training program, the department may use resources from
relevant national groups, such as the U.S. Center for
SafeSport.
(d) The department shall adopt rules to implement and
administer this act.
Section 4. (a)(1) No later than January 1, 2027, each
youth sports organization shall adopt a Youth Athlete
Protection Policy including, but not limited to: (i) standards
for prohibited conduct in youth sports; (ii) a code of conduct
for parents, spectators, coaches, and youth athletes; and
(iii) a mandatory reporting policy. The policy, at a minimum,
shall reflect the model policy developed by the department in
Section 3. Each youth sports organization shall provide a copy
of the Youth Athlete Protection Policy to all coaches employed
by or volunteering for the organization and parents of youth
athletes participating in a sport offered by that
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
HB103 INTRODUCED
Page 7
athletes participating in a sport offered by that
organization.
(2) Each youth sports organization shall require each
of its coaches to: (i) comply with the organization's
prohibited conduct policy; and (ii) annually complete
mandatory reporter training, as provided in Section 3.
(b)(1)a. Each youth sports organization shall require
each coach to obtain, prior to his or her employment or
acceptance as a volunteer, a criminal history background check
from the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). ALEA may
provide the results of the criminal history background check
to the youth sports organization where the coach is seeking to
be employed or volunteer. The youth sports organization may
use the criminal history background check only for purposes of
making hiring or volunteer decisions, and the results of the
criminal history background check are otherwise confidential.
b. Youth sports organizations may rely on the results
of a criminal history background check when making hiring and
volunteer decisions. Youth sports organizations are immune
from any civil liability relating to the hiring of a coach or
acceptance of a coach as a volunteer, except where the youth
sports organization: (i) knows the information relating to the
coach's criminal history background check is false; or (ii)
acts with reckless disregard concerning the veracity of that
information.
(2) No youth sports organization may hire or accept as
a volunteer a coach if a criminal history background check
performed on that individual shows that he or she has been
convicted of, pled nolo contendere to, or has received a
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
HB103 INTRODUCED
Page 8
convicted of, pled nolo contendere to, or has received a
deferred sentence or deferred prosecution for:
a. Any felony under Chapter 15 of Title 26, Code of
Alabama 1975;
b. Any sex offense under Section 15-20A-5, Code of
Alabama 1975;
c. Any felony assault or sexual offense under Title
13A, Code of Alabama 1975, in which the victim is an
individual under 18 years of age or older, or any other
offense involving child abuse; or
d. Any comparable offense provided in this subsection
which was committed in any other state.
Section 5. (a)(1) No later than January 1, 2027, each
local government shall adopt a Youth Athlete Protection Policy
including, but not limited to: (i) standards for prohibited
conduct in youth sports; (ii) a code of conduct for parents,
spectators, coaches, and youth athletes; and (iii) a mandatory
reporting policy. The policy, at a minimum, shall reflect the
model policy developed by the department in Section 3. Each
local government shall provide a copy of the Youth Athlete
Protection Policy to all coaches employed by or volunteering
for the local government and parents of youth athletes
participating in a sport offered by that local government.
(2) Each local government shall require each of its
coaches to: (i) comply with the local government's prohibited
conduct policy; and (ii) annually complete mandatory reporter
training, as provided in Section 3.
(b)(1)a. Each local government shall require each coach
to obtain, prior to his or her employment or acceptance as a
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
HB103 INTRODUCED
Page 9
to obtain, prior to his or her employment or acceptance as a
volunteer, a criminal history background check from the
Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). ALEA may provide
the results of the criminal history background check to the
local government where the coach is seeking to be employed or
volunteer. The local government may use the criminal history
background check only for purposes of making hiring or
volunteer decisions, and the results of the criminal history
background check are otherwise confidential.
b. Local governments may rely on the results of a
criminal history background check when making hiring and
volunteer decisions. Local governments are immune from any
civil liability relating to the hiring of a coach or
acceptance of a coach as a volunteer, except where the local
government: (i) knows the information relating to the coach's
criminal history background check is false; or (ii) acts with
reckless disregard concerning the veracity of that
information.
(2) No local government may hire or accept as a
volunteer a coach if a criminal history background check
performed on that individual shows that he or she has been
convicted of, pled nolo contendere to, or has received a
deferred sentence or deferred prosecution for:
a. Any felony under Chapter 15 of Title 26, Code of
Alabama 1975;
b. Any sex offense under Section 15-20A-5, Code of
Alabama 1975;
c. Any felony assault or sexual offense under Title
13A, Code of Alabama 1975, in which the victim is an
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
HB103 INTRODUCED
Page 10
13A, Code of Alabama 1975, in which the victim is an
individual under 18 years of age or older, or any other
offense involving child abuse; or
d. Any comparable offense provided in this subsection
which was committed in any other state.
Section 6. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
253
254
255
256
257
258