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26LSO-0154
ORIGINAL Senate
File No
.
SF0053
ENROLLED ACT NO. 24,
SENATE
SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2026 Budget Session
AN ACT relating to education; requiring amateur status for participation in high school athletic activities; specifying requirements for amateur status; providing exceptions; and providing for an effective date.
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
Section 1.
W.S. 21
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25
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401 is created to read:
ARTICLE 4
AMATEUR STATUS REQUIRED FOR STUDENT ELIGIBILITY
21
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25
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401.
Amateur status requirements.
(a)
A student who represents a Wyoming high school in a sport or activity sanctioned by the Wyoming high school activities association shall be an amateur in that sport or activity as provided in this section.
(b)
Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section, a student forfeits amateur status in a sport or activity by:
(i)
Competing for or accepting money or other monetary compensation for competing in that sport or activity;
(ii)
Receiving any award or prize of monetary value for competing in that sport or activity that exceeds the amount that has been approved by the Wyoming high school activities association;
(iii)
Capitalizing on the student's athletic fame or the student's name, image or likeness by receiving money, gifts of monetary value, merchandise or other consideration related to competing in that sport or activity;
(iv)
Signing a professional playing contract in that sport or activity. This paragraph shall not prohibit signing a letter of intent or similar document to commit to a college, provided that no compensation is paid in any manner while the student is participating in the sport or activity.
(c)
The following activities do not forfeit amateur status under this section:
(i)
Accepting money or other monetary compensation provided by a family member to a student to encourage the student to participate in the sport or activity;
(ii)
Accepting money or other monetary compensation for the time required for participation in the sport or activity in a competition, camp or event that is not sanctioned by the Wyoming high school activities association if the amount of the payment does not exceed an amount specified by the Wyoming high school activities association. If prize money is available in the competition, the student or the student's parent or guardian shall complete a written declaration prior to the competition that specifies that the student, and the student's parent or guardian if applicable, will not accept any prize money and will only accept awards that do not exceed the awards amount authorized by the Wyoming high school activities association. This paragraph shall not authorize the payment of any money or monetary compensation that is contingent upon the student's or the team's finish or performance or that is given as an incentive to achieve a specific goal or performance. Nothing in this paragraph shall be deemed to authorize the payment of any money or monetary compensation for participating in events sanctioned by the Wyoming high school activities association or for competing for or on behalf of a Wyoming high school;
(iii)
Accepting necessary meals, lodging and transportation to play in a competition for a sport or activity;
(iv)
Accepting a nominal fee or salary for instructing, supervising or officiating in an organized youth sports program, recreation or playground activity;
(v)
A school sponsored membership or fee that is paid for the student to participate in a youth serving agency, athletic club, community recreation center, instructional program, camp or similar program if the fee is paid directly to the program or agency;
(vi)
Receiving an award, playing equipment, prize of monetary value or other consideration that does not exceed the awards amount authorized by the Wyoming high school activities association;
(vii)
Receiving nonmonetary benefits or awards provided to members of an Olympic team or junior national team beyond actual and necessary expenses, including entertainment, equipment, clothing, long distance telephone service, internet access and any other item or service for which it can be demonstrated that the same benefit is available to all members of the nation's Olympic or junior national team or the specific Olympic or junior national team in question;
(viii)
Accepting funds that are administered by the United States Olympic committee pursuant to its operation gold program;
(ix)
Participating in member school, charitable or educational promotions or fund raising activities that involve the use of athletic ability by student
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athletes to obtain funds from donors, including swim
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a
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thons, lift
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a
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thons, shoot
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a
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thons or other similar events, provided no compensation or prizes are given to the student
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athletes based on their performance. Items that are provided to indicate participation in the activity including shirts, bags or other similar items shall not waive amateur status if the items are offered to every student
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athlete involved;
(x)
Accepting scholarship funds, provided the funds are paid directly to a postsecondary institution and the funds are not available until after the student has graduated from high school.
(d)
Violation of this section shall result in the student becoming ineligible to participate in the sport or activity concerned.
Section 2
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This act is effective July 1, 2026
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(END)
Speaker of the House
President of the Senate
Governor
TIME APPROVED: _________
DATE APPROVED: _________
I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.
Chief Clerk
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