An Act to prevent discrimination in interscholastic athletic and extracurricular activities

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Ryan Fattman and 1 co-sponsor

Guarantees that school-age children with disabilities may not be barred from any school-sponsored interscholastic athletic or extracurricular activity.

House concurred

Overview

Bill Title: An Act to prevent discrimination in interscholastic athletic and extracurricular activities

Purpose: Prohibit discrimination against school-age children with disabilities by ensuring their participation in all school-sponsored interscholastic athletic and extracurricular activities.

Introduction and session: Introduced February 27, 2025, in the 2025-2026 General Court.

Status: House concurred; the bill has advanced through at least initial committee action and is reported as concurred by the House.

Primary sponsor(s): Sen. Ryan C. Fattman and Sen. Bruce E. Tarr (petitioners).

Key Provisions

New provision to Chapter 71B: The bill would insert after existing section 17 a new Section 18.

Core guarantee: “Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any school age child with a disability shall not be precluded from participating in any school-sponsored interscholastic athletic or extracurricular activity.”

Scope of protection: Applies to all school-sponsored interscholastic athletic and extracurricular activities offered by the school.

Who is Affected

Primary beneficiaries: School-age children with disabilities enrolled in MA schools that participate in interscholastic athletics or other school-sponsored extracurricular activities.

Institutions impacted: Public schools and schools within the Commonwealth subject to Chapter 71B and related state laws governing extracurricular and athletic participation.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Filed/Referenced: Senate Docket No. 648; filed January 14, 2025.

Committee action: Referred to the Committee on Education on February 27, 2025.

Floor action: Reported as having House concurrence on February 27, 2025, indicating alignment between House and Senate versions at that stage.

Historical context: Similar matter previously filed in the 2023-2024 session as Senate No. 269.

Potential Impact and Considerations

Policy impact: Establishes an explicit right for students with disabilities to participate in all school-sponsored activities, strengthening inclusivity and compliance with disability rights principles.

Enforcement: The text provided does not specify enforcement mechanisms, remedies, or penalties if a district denies participation.

Interplay with existing laws: The clause “Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary” indicates the provision would supersede conflicting rules, where applicable.

Implementation considerations: Schools may need to review eligibility criteria, accommodation policies, and related supports to ensure compliant participation for students with disabilities.

This summary captures the bill’s intent, main changes, affected parties, and key procedural milestones based on the current bill text and status.

Bill