1     
PROTECTING STUDENT RELIGIOUS AND MORAL

2     
BELIEFS REGARDING ATHLETIC UNIFORM

3     
REQUIREMENTS

4     
2023 GENERAL SESSION

5     
STATE OF UTAH

6     
Chief Sponsor: Candice B. Pierucci

7     
Senate Sponsor: Kirk A. Cullimore

8     Cosponsors:
9     Cheryl K. Acton
10     Melissa G. Ballard
11     Kera Birkeland
12     Jefferson S. Burton
13     Kay J. Christofferson
14     Tyler Clancy
15     James Cobb
16     Paul A. Cutler
17     Jennifer Dailey-Provost
18     Stephanie Gricius
19     Katy Hall
Sahara Hayes
Ken Ivory
Tim Jimenez
Dan N. Johnson
Marsha Judkins
Jason Kyle
Karianne Lisonbee
Anthony E. Loubet
Steven J. Lund
Ashlee Matthews
Carol S. Moss
Michael J. Petersen
Karen M. Peterson
Susan Pulsipher
Judy Weeks Rohner
Mike Schultz
Rex P. Shipp
Robert M. Spendlove
Raymond P. Ward
Christine F. Watkins
Ryan D. Wilcox

20     

21     LONG TITLE
22     General Description:
23          This bill addresses requirements for uniforms worn while participating in certain school
24     athletic activities.
25     Highlighted Provisions:
26          This bill:
27          ▸     defines terms;
28          ▸     provides that certain associations and educational organizations may not prohibit a
29     student athlete from wearing religious clothing, or other clothing consistent with the student
30     athlete's beliefs, while participating in an athletic activity; and
31          ▸     requires certain associations and educational organizations to provide the clothing
32     described in the preceding paragraph if the association or educational organization
33     requires that the clothing be a certain material, style, or color.
34     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
35          None
36     Other Special Clauses:
37          This bill provides a special effective date.
38     Utah Code Sections Affected:
39     AMENDS:
40          53G-7-801, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 223
41     ENACTS:
42          53G-7-804, Utah Code Annotated 1953
43     

44     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
45          Section 1. Section 53G-7-801 is amended to read:
46          53G-7-801. Definitions.
47          As used in this part:
48          (1) "Association" means an organization that governs or regulates a student's
49     participation in an athletic activity.
50          (2) "Athletic activity" means physical education instruction or a sports event that is:
51          (a) sponsored or regulated by an association or educational organization; or
52          (b) authorized to take place in an association's or educational organization's facilities.
53          (3) "Athletic uniform" means clothing, headwear, shoes, or other items worn for
54     participation in an athletic activity that are required to be:
55          (a) a specified style, length, material, or color;
56          (b) worn in a specified manner; or
57          (c) worn with or without other items of clothing or headwear.
58          (4) "Educational organization" means:
59          (a) the state board;
60          (b) an LEA; or
61          (c) a school sports team.
62          [(1)] (5) "Principal" includes the chief administrator of a school that does not have a
63     principal.
64          [(2)] (6) "School" means a public school, including a charter school.
65          [(3)] (7) "School official" means the principal of a school or the local school board for
66     a school district.
67          (8) "School sports team" means a team on which the student represents the student's
68     school in competition against another school or in competition against other students within the
69     same school.
70          [(4)] (9) "School uniform" means the same as that term is defined in Section
71     53G-7-501.
72          Section 2. Section 53G-7-804 is enacted to read:
73          53G-7-804. Requirements for uniforms for students participating in an athletic
74     activity.
75          (1) An association or educational organization that requires a student to wear an
76     athletic uniform for participation in an athletic activity may not prohibit the student from:
77          (a) wearing religious clothing with the athletic uniform; or
78          (b) wearing clothing under, or with, but not substantially covering, the athletic uniform
79     to, consistent with the student's religious or moral beliefs, cover or conceal parts of the
80     student's body that are not covered or concealed by the athletic uniform.
81          (2) (a) A student has the right to, while participating in a school-related athletic activity
82     or an athletic activity using school facilities, wear clothing as described in Subsection (1).
83          (b) The prohibition described in Subsection (1) and the right described in Subsection
84     (2)(a) apply regardless of whether the student wears, or is required to wear, an athletic uniform
85     while participating in the athletic activity.
86          (3) If an association or educational organization places requirements on religious
87     clothing or other clothing described in Subsection (1) or (2), other than the material, style, or
88     color of the uniform itself, the association or organization:
89          (a) shall provide the clothing at the association's or educational organization's expense;
90     and
91          (b) may not impose a requirement in relation to the clothing, including the material,
92     color, style, or manner of wearing the clothing, that violates the student's religious or moral
93     beliefs.
94          Section 3. Effective date.
95          This bill takes effect on July 1, 2023.