1     
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING STUDENT

2     
ATHLETES' RIGHT TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND

3     
MODESTY

4     
2022 GENERAL SESSION

5     
STATE OF UTAH

6     
Chief Sponsor: Candice B. Pierucci

7     
Senate Sponsor: Kirk A. Cullimore

8     Cosponsors:
9     Nelson T. Abbott
10     Cheryl K. Acton
11     Carl R. Albrecht
12     Melissa G. Ballard
13     Stewart E. Barlow
14     Gay Lynn Bennion
15     Kera Birkeland
16     Brady Brammer
17     Joel K. Briscoe
18     Walt Brooks
19     Jefferson S. Burton
20     Scott H. Chew
21     Kay J. Christofferson
22     Clare Collard
23     Jennifer Dailey-Provost
24     James A. Dunnigan
25     Steve Eliason
26     Joel Ferry
27     Matthew H. Gwynn
28     Stephen G. Handy
29     Suzanne Harrison
Jon Hawkins
Sandra Hollins
Ken Ivory
Dan N. Johnson
Marsha Judkins
Brian S. King
Michael L. Kohler
Karen Kwan
Bradley G. Last
Rosemary T. Lesser
Karianne Lisonbee
Steven J. Lund
Phil Lyman
A. Cory Maloy
Ashlee Matthews
Kelly B. Miles
Carol Spackman Moss
Jefferson Moss
Calvin R. Musselman
Merrill F. Nelson
Doug Owens
Michael J. Petersen
Karen M. Peterson
Val L. Peterson
Stephanie Pitcher
Susan Pulsipher
Adam Robertson
Judy Weeks Rohner
Angela Romero
Douglas V. Sagers
Travis M. Seegmiller
Rex P. Shipp
V. Lowry Snow
Robert M. Spendlove
Jeffrey D. Stenquist
Andrew Stoddard
Keven J. Stratton
Mark A. Strong
Jordan D. Teuscher
Steve Waldrip
Raymond P. Ward
Christine F. Watkins
Elizabeth Weight
Douglas R. Welton

30     Mark A. Wheatley
31     Stephen L. Whyte
32     Ryan D. Wilcox
33     Brad R. Wilson
34     Mike Winder

35     

36     LONG TITLE
37     General Description:
38          This resolution encourages all municipalities, public and private K-12 schools,
39     universities, and organizations supporting youth athletic teams and activities to allow
40     youth to wear religious clothing or headwear or to modify their uniforms to
41     accommodate religious beliefs or personal values of modesty without barriers or
42     limitations.
43     Highlighted Provisions:
44          This resolution:
45          ▸     acknowledges that all children and youth should have access to athletic teams and
46     activities without barriers and limitations; and
47          ▸     encourages all municipalities, public and private schools, and organizations that
48     support athletic teams and activities to revise internal policies and allow all children
49     and youth participating in athletic activities to wear religious clothing or headwear
50     or to modify their uniforms to accommodate religious beliefs and personal values of
51     modesty.
52     Special Clauses:
53          None
54     

55     Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
56          WHEREAS, Utah's children and youth participate in team sports and other athletic
57     activities through municipal youth sports programs, public and private K-12 schools, colleges,
58     universities, leagues, and clubs;

59          WHEREAS, participating in athletic teams and activities has many positive benefits for
60     children and youth, like helping them develop friendships, develop leadership and teamwork
61     skills, improve academic performance, improve mental and physical health, learn
62     responsibility, and can lead to college scholarships and other enriching opportunities;
63          WHEREAS, if children and youth are excluded from athletic teams or activities at a
64     young age, many will be hesitant to seek these opportunities again and miss out on the benefits
65     and opportunities that would otherwise be available to them;
66          WHEREAS, children and youth who want to participate in athletic teams or activities
67     should have access to those opportunities from an early age without barriers or limitations;
68          WHEREAS, municipalities, schools, and organizations that support athletic teams and
69     activities should not use policies and practices that exclude children and youth who seek to
70     observe the tenants of their religion or personal values of modesty through their clothing from
71     participating, particularly with prohibitions against modifying uniforms to accommodate
72     religious clothing and headwear and making modesty adjustments to uniforms, or by making it
73     difficult to obtain permission to do so;
74          WHEREAS, over the past several years, many municipalities, states, and youth athletics
75     organizations across the country and in Utah have created policies to allow young athletes to
76     participate in athletic teams or activities while accommodating religious practices and beliefs
77     and personal values of modesty without needing uniform waivers; and
78          WHEREAS, all schools and organizations in the state have an opportunity to foster the
79     same inclusivity for all young athletes:
80          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
81     Governor concurring therein, encourages all municipalities, local education agencies, private
82     K-12 schools, colleges, universities, leagues, athletic associations, and clubs with youth athletic
83     teams or activities to evaluate and revise any policies and practices that prevent aspiring young
84     athletes from participating, particularly those that would prevent participants from wearing
85     religious clothing and headwear while participating, or prevent them from modifying athletic
86     uniforms to accommodate religious practices and beliefs or sincerely held values about

87     modesty.
88          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and Governor encourage the State
89     Board of Education and all local education agency governing boards to create policies allowing
90     students to modify athletic uniforms to accommodate their religious clothing, headwear,
91     practices and beliefs, or personal values of modesty without uniform waivers.
92          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and Governor commend all
93     organizations in the state that have proactively taken steps to allow children and youth
94     participating in athletic teams and activities to wear religious clothing and headwear or make
95     modesty adjustments to athletic uniforms, creating an inclusive environment for all of Utah's
96     aspiring young athletes.