SB73 • 2026

Public K-12 schools; membership in athletic associations with boards of certain composition, that enforce certain rules, prohibited; Legislative Council authorization of entities' rulemaking, permitted

Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Chesteen
Last action: 2026-01-13
Official status: Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text specifies exact numbers (4, 4, 4, and 3) which sum to 15. The requirement is that at least 50% must be appointed by these officials, but the specific count implies a minimum board size or structure not fully detailed in this excerpt.

Rules for Public School Sports Groups

This bill stops public K-12 schools from joining sports groups unless the group's board has specific leaders appointed by state officials and follows strict rules about how student eligibility is decided.

What This Bill Does

Prohibits public K-12 schools from being members of athletic associations if their governing body does not meet specific appointment requirements.
Requires that at least half of an association's board be appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, or Lieutenant Governor.
Specifically requires four appointments each from the Governor, Speaker, and President Pro Tempore, plus three from the Lieutenant Governor to meet the requirement.
Bans school membership in groups that enforce student-athlete eligibility rules not created under the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act.
Allows the Legislative Council to let any entity voluntarily follow rule-making steps from the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act.

Who It Names or Affects

Public K-12 schools
Athletic associations with governing boards
The Legislative Council

Terms To Know

Alabama Administrative Procedure Act: A state law that sets the steps agencies must follow to create official rules.
Athletic association: An organization defined in Section 16-1-52.1 of the Code of Alabama 1975.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not list specific names of athletic associations currently affected.
It is unclear how the Legislative Council will decide which entities can voluntarily adopt rules under Section 2.
The text defines board composition numbers but does not explain what happens if a group fails to meet them before October 1, 2026.

Bill History

2026-01-13 Senate
Pending Committee Action in House of Origin
2026-01-13 Senate
Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Education Policy

Official Summary Text

Public K-12 schools; membership in athletic associations with boards of certain composition, that enforce certain rules, prohibited; Legislative Council authorization of entities' rulemaking, permitted

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB73 INTRODUCED
Page 0
SB73
84I6BFF-1
By Senators Chesteen, Elliott
RFD: Education Policy
First Read: 13-Jan-26
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84I6BFF-1 01/06/2026 ZAK (L)ma 2026-48
Page 1
First Read: 13-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
This bill would prohibit public K-12 schools
from being a member of an athletic association whose
governing body is comprised of certain members and that
enforces rules relating to student-athlete eligibility
which were not adopted in accordance with the Alabama
Administrative Procedure Act.
This bill would also authorize the Legislative
Council to allow any entity to voluntarily adopt rules
pursuant to the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to public K-12 school athletics; to prohibit
schools from being a member of an athletic association whose
board is of a certain composition and that enforces certain
rules not adopted in accordance with the Alabama
Administrative Procedure Act; and to authorize the Legislative
Council to allow any entity to voluntarily adopt rules
pursuant to the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. (a) For purposes of this section, the term
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SB73 INTRODUCED
Page 2
Section 1. (a) For purposes of this section, the term
"athletic association" has the same meaning as provided in
Section 16-1-52.1, Code of Alabama 1975.
(b) A public K-12 school may not be a member of an
athletic association unless the association's governing body,
including a central board of control, is comprised of at least
50 percent of members who are appointed by the Governor,
Speaker of the House of Representatives, President Pro Tempore
of the Senate, or the Lieutenant Governor, including four
members who are appointed by the Governor, four members who
are appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
four members who are appointed by the President Pro Tempore of
the Senate, and three members who are appointed by the
Lieutenant Governor.
(c) A public K-12 school may not be a member of an
athletic association that enforces a rule, regulation, bylaw,
or other directive relating to the eligibility of
student-athletes to participate in athletics which was not
adopted in accordance with the Alabama Administrative
Procedure Act, Chapter 22 of Title 41, Code of Alabama 1975.
Section 2. The Legislative Council may authorize any
entity to voluntarily adopt rules pursuant to the Alabama
Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 22 of Title 41, Code of
Alabama 1975.
Section 3. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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