LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MINUTES December 11, 2018 Hermitage, TN

  1. Roll Call
  2. Approved of Minutes of Previous Meeting
  3. Election of Officers
    • Dan Black was elected to continue to serve as President of the Legislative Council
    • Mike Reynolds was elected to continue to serve as Vice President of the Legislative Council
  4. 2018 Regional Meetings
    1. Took no action on proposed change to Article II, Section 9 (Age Limit) of the TSSAA Byalws:This proposal is to amend the bylaws in a manner that would allow for individual consideration of junior varsity eligibility for students to participate in athletics if they have reached the age of 19 on August 1st, so long as the student falls within qualified Individuals with Disabilities Act and has not exhausted eight semesters of high school eligibility. (Submitted by Dobyns Bennett High School)
    2. Denied proposed changes to Article II, Sections 12 and 13 (Eligible and Ineligible Transfer Students) of the TSSAA Bylaws: This proposal is to replace Article II, Section 12 b (currently the bona fide change of residence rule) with:
      Except as otherwise provided in Section 13 below, the following transfer students are eligible:
      1. The student transfers to a new school that is outside the twenty (20) mile radius of the previous school, so long as the principal of the former school attests in writing that the move was not for athletic or disciplinary reasons (including bona fide change of residence).
      This proposal also adds an item to Article II, Section 12. The new Article II, Section 12 k would read:
      1. Other than reasons listed above within Section 12, a student with an athletic record may transfer with no penalty as long as the transfer is to a receiving school that is in a different classification or division from the departing school. The student must transfer before the departing school’s 1st day of classes in order to be eligible in the receiving school’s TSSAA sanctioned sports for the upcoming school year. If the transfer occurs during the school year, the student will be ineligible for the current school year in all sports in which he or she has an athletic record. A student may transfer under this rule one (1) time during his/her high school years.
      Finally, this proposal removes Article II, Section 13 a-c (items currently dealing with students without a bona fide change of residence). The proposed Article II, Section 13 would read: The following transfer students are ineligible at the varsity level for a period of twelve months from the student's last participation date:
      1. A student who transfers to any school within a twenty (20) mile radius of the athlete’s current school.
      The proposal replaces any other reference to a bona fide change of residence with the concept of moving outside the twenty (20) mile radius of the athlete's previous school. (Submitted by Collierville High School)
    3. Approved proposal to remove Article IV, Section 2 (Contests with Out-of-State Teams) from the TSSAA/TMSAA Bylaws: Current Rule: Only one out-of-state trip involving travel in excess of 600 miles round-trip by a team of a member school will be permitted during any one season, provided the trip has been approved in writing by the state office.Proposed Change: Eliminate Article IV, Section 2 (Submitted by McCallie School)
    4. Denied proposed change to Article II, Section 21 (Independent Game Participation) of the TSSAA/TMSAA Bylaws: The proposed change reads:Once a student’s name is listed on the school eligibility report, a student may not participate in a competition or practice on a non-school team in the same sport after the first contest date allowed and before the season has closed or his/her name has been removed from the eligibility report at the request of the school principal. Violation of this rule shall render the student ineligible at the varsity level for 25% of the number of contests allowed in that sport by the sports calendar or for the remainder of the season in that sport, whichever number is the least. Violation of this rule a second time in the same sport in the same season will render the student ineligible in that sport for the remainder of the season. Participation on a non-school team during the school season does not impact junior varsity eligibility. A student’s name may be removed from the school’s eligibility list upon written request of the principal prior to the first official contest date allowed in that sport without penalty. After the first official contest allowed, a student’s name may be removed from the school’s eligibility list upon written request of the principal, and he/she may then participate in a non-school practice or competition without penalty. If the principal requests the state office to remove a student’s name after the first official contest date allowed in that sport, such student may not again be certified during the season of that sport. This rule does not apply to bowling, golf, and tennis. (Submitted by Hendersonville High School)
    5. Voted to table proposal to remove Article II, Section 21 (Independent-Game Participation) of the TSSAA/TMSAA Bylaws (Submitted by TSSAA Staff)
    6. Approved proposed changes to Article III, Section 2 (Board of Control) and Article IV, Section 2 (Legislative Council) of the TSSAA/TMSAA Constitution:This proposal would change the individuals that are eligible for election to the Board of Control and Legislative Council. The proposal reads: All members of the Board of Control/Legislative Council must be full time employees (minimum of 100 school days) who are principals, assistant principals (who devote full-time duties to administration), heads of school, school-level athletic directors (who have achieved a minimum CAA recognition through the NIAAA), district-level athletic directors (who have achieved a minimum CAA recognition through the NIAAA), or directors of schools. District-level athletic directors and directors of schools of no more than one four-year high school or senior high school shall be eligible to serve. No individual can serve as a member of the Legislative Council and Board of Control at the same time. (Submitted by Milan High School)
    7. Denied proposed addition to Article III, Section 11 (Unsportsmanlike Conduct - Appeals) of the TSSAA/TMSAA Bylaws:Appeals for unsportsmanlike conduct may only be reviewed for severity of punishment. Criteria for consideration include impact on others, severity of violation, and regard for safety. The cost of review is a nonrefundable $100.00 regardless of finding. (Submitted by Camden Central High School)
    8. Approved proposed addition to the TSSAA Sports Calendar:This proposal is requesting that TSSAA sanction the sport of Lacrosse for Boys and Girls beginning with the next classification cycle. This would be effective at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year. (Submitted by University School of Nashville)
    9. Approved proposed change to Article II, Section 7 (Repeating Rule) of the TSSAA Bylaws:This proposal is to include the 6th grade in the Repeating Rule. The rule would read: A student who repeats the sixth, seventh, or eighth grade and participates in school athletics while repeating shall be ineligible in all sports at all levels in the ninth grade. (Submitted by TSSAA Staff)
    10. Approved proposed change to Article II, Section 14 (Practice Rules) of the TSSAA/TMSAA Bylaws:This proposal is to remove the following paragraph from Section 14: A student who engages in three or more days of off-season practice in football and basketball with a school in which the student is enrolled shall be ineligible in that sport the following season if the student enrolls in another school without a corresponding change in the residence of the student’s parents. (Submitted by TSSAA Staff)
  5. New Business
    1. Denied proposed changes amended from previous submission to Article II, Sections 12 and 13 (Eligible and Ineligible Transfer Students of the TSSAA Bylaws) (Submitted by Collierville High School.)
    2. Discussed spring football practice regulations. Voted for the staff to bring back a proposal to vote on at the March meeting.
  6. Discussed Middle School Academic Rule, Rules Meetings & Fines, and Spring Practice in regards to TMSAA.