Summary:

 Senate Bill 465 (SB 465) prohibits schools from restricting participation in an athletic activity because the student participated in that activity while attending a different school. SB 465 permits students to participate in club or outside sports or athletic training camps without penalty. SB 465 allows private schools to offer scholarships to students to participate in athletic activities. SB 465 allows eighth grade students to play high school sports without losing a season of eligibility.  

Legislation Overview:

 Senate Bill 465 adds a new section of Public Schools regarding eligibility in school activities.
A. Membership on the board of directors of an association that regulates public school extracurricular and cocurricular activities shall be proportional to the population of the counties represented by the board. 
Subsections B through D shall not prohibit from nor penalize a student for from participating in 
- an athletic activity because that student participated in that athletic activity while attending a different school. 
- a school-sponsored athletic activity because the student participated in an athletic activity or on an athletic team that was not school-sponsored or -affiliated. 
- participating in a school-sponsored athletic activity because of participation in an athletic training camp.  
E. A private school may offer a scholarship to a student to participate in an athletic activity. 
F. A student in the eighth grade is eligible to participate in a high school athletic activity without losing a season of eligibility to participate in that athletic activity in high school. 
G. As used in this section, "athletic activity" means a middle school, junior high school or high school sport regulated by the New Mexico Activities Association.