An act TO AUTHORIZE A COACH OR ATHLETICS PERSONNEL 10 MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITE SEX TO ADDRESS, SUPERVISE, OR 11 TREAT STUDENT ATHLETES IN A MULTIPLE OCCUPANCY 12 RESTROOM OR CHANGING AREA UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, the official text

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.

1 State of Arkansas           As Engrossed: H2/5/25 S2/11/25
2 95th General Assembly
                                       A Bill

3 Regular Session, 2025                                             HOUSE BILL 1215

4

5 By: Representative Bentley

6 By: Senator J. Bryant

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8                             For An Act To Be Entitled

9   AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE A COACH OR ATHLETICS PERSONNEL

10  MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITE SEX TO ADDRESS, SUPERVISE, OR

11  TREAT STUDENT ATHLETES IN A MULTIPLE OCCUPANCY

12  RESTROOM OR CHANGING AREA UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS;

13  AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

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15

16                                    Subtitle

17                       TO AUTHORIZE A COACH OR ATHLETICS

18                       PERSONNEL MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITE SEX TO

19                       ADDRESS, SUPERVISE, OR TREAT STUDENT

20                       ATHLETES IN A MULTIPLE OCCUPANCY

21                       RESTROOM OR CHANGING AREA UNDER CERTAIN

22                       CONDITIONS.

23

24 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:

25

26  SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 6-21-120(a), concerning definitions

27 regarding public school restroom and changing area designation requirements,

28 is amended to read as follows:

29  (a) As used in this section:

30  (1) "Athletic event" means an organized athletic activity that

31 is sponsored by or associated with a public school district or an open-

32 enrollment public charter school and in which participants are:

33                       (A) Engaged in an athletic game or competition against

34 another team, club, or entity; or

35                       (B) In practice or preparation for an organized athletic

36 game or competition against another team, club, or entity;

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    As Engrossed: H2/5/25 S2/11/25                                          HB1215

1              (2) "Athletics personnel" means athletic directors and other

2 individuals actively involved in organizing, training, or coaching athletic

3 events for student athletes;

4              (1)(A)(3)(A) "Multiple occupancy restroom or changing area"

5 means an area in a public school district or open-enrollment public charter

6 school building that is designed or designated to be used by one (1) or more

7 individuals at the same time and in which one (1) or more individuals may be

8 in various stages of undress in the presence of other individuals.

9              (B) "Multiple occupancy restroom or changing area"

10 includes without limitation the following:

11             (i) A restroom;

12             (ii) A locker room;

13             (iii) A changing room; and

14             (iv) A shower room; and

15             (2)(A)(4)(A) "Sex" means the physical condition of being male or

16 female based on genetics and physiology.

17             (B) A public school district or open-enrollment public

18 charter school may rely upon a public school student's sex as identified on

19 his or her original birth certificate issued at or near the time of his or

20 her birth.

21

22  SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 6-21-120(c), concerning exceptions to the

23 requirement that public school restrooms and changing areas be designated

24 based on sex, is amended to read as follows:

25  (c) This section does not apply to an individual who enters a multiple

26 occupancy restroom or changing area designated for use by the opposite sex

27 when he or she enters for at least one (1) of the following circumstances:

28             (1) For custodial, maintenance, or inspection purposes;

29             (2) To render emergency medical assistance; or

30             (3) To address an ongoing emergency, including without

31 limitation a physical altercation; or

32             (4) The individual is a coach or other athletics personnel

33 member who enters and is present in the multiple occupancy restroom or

34 changing area to address, supervise, or treat student athletes that the

35 individual is overseeing during a reasonable time before an athletic event,

36 during an athletic event, or immediately following an athletic event if:

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    As Engrossed: H2/5/25 S2/11/25              HB1215

1   (A) The coach or other athletics personnel member verifies

2 that no person is in a state of undress at any time while the coach or other

3 athletics personnel member is present; and

4   (B) An adult besides the individual who is a coach or

5 other athletics personnel member is present.

6                                   /s/Bentley

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