Text of MA H 737 (2025)
Relative to defending the autonomy and integrity of student athletes and coaches
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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 62 FILED ON: 1/3/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 737
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Marcus S. Vaughn and John R. Gaskey
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to defending the autonomy and integrity of student athletes and coaches.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:
DISTRICT/ADDRESS:
DATE ADDED:
Marcus S. Vaughn
9th Norfolk
1/3/2025
David F. DeCoste
5th Plymouth
1/23/2025
Steven George Xiarhos
5th Barnstable
1/30/2025
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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 62 FILED ON: 1/3/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 737
By Representatives Vaughn of Wrentham and Gaskey of Carver, a petition (accompanied by bill,
House, No. 737) of Marcus S. Vaughn, David F. DeCoste and Steven George Xiarhos relative to
sports teams at public schools. Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________
An Act relative to defending the autonomy and integrity of student athletes and coaches.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
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SECTION 1. Chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
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is hereby amended by inserting the following section: -
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Section 1E.
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(a)
No public school shall require any student athlete on a single-sex sports team to
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participate in a match, or any part thereof, against an opposing team that includes one or more
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athletes of the opposite sex. No penalty, including but not limited to loss of playing time or loss
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of
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starting status, shall be imposed by a public school on such a student athlete for refusing
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to play in such a match.
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(b)
No coach of a single-sex public school sports team shall be penalized by that
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school for forfeiting a match against an opposing team because such opposing team includes one
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or more athletes of the opposite sex.
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(c)
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Massachusetts
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Interscholastic Athletic Association, or any equivalent school organization or an entity or board
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that provides athletic officials, including, but not limited to, referees and umpires, for school
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sports or athletic events shall not penalize any public school, single-sex public school sports
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team, coach of such a team, or student athlete on such a team, for forfeiting or refusing to play in
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a match against an opposing team because such opposing team includes one or more athletes of
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the opposite sex, except that such a forfeit may be recorded as a loss.