Mississippi legislation · 2025 Regular Session
Mississippi HB1617: "Tim Tebow Act"; create to authorize homeschool students to participate in public school extracurricular activities.
Status: Failed, March 4, 2025
AN ACT TO BE KNOWN AS THE "TIM TEBOW ACT"; TO DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS; TO AUTHORIZE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN A HOMESCHOOL TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES; TO PRESCRIBE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A STUDENT ENROLLED IN A HOMESCHOOL TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES; TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HOMESCHOOL STUDENT SELECTION OR PARTICIPATION IN SUCH ACTIVITIES; TO PROVIDE THAT PARTICIPATION IN AN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY IS A PRIVILEGE AND NOT A RIGHT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
What the bill says
An act to be known as the "tim tebow act"; to define certain terms; to authorize students enrolled in a homeschool to participate in public school interscholastic extracurricular activities; to prescribe the requirements for a student enrolled in a homeschool to participate in interscholastic extracurricular activities; to prohibit discrimination against homeschool student selection or participation in such activities; to provide that participation in an extracurricular activity is a privilege and not a right; and for related purposes.
From the engrossed text:
AN ACT TO BE KNOWN AS THE "TIM TEBOW ACT"; TO DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS; TO AUTHORIZE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN A HOMESCHOOL TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES; TO PRESCRIBE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A STUDENT ENROLLED IN A HOMESCHOOL TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERSCHOLASTIC EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES; TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HOMESCHOOL STUDENT SELECTION OR PARTICIPATION IN SUCH ACTIVITIES; TO PROVIDE THAT PARTICIPATION IN AN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY IS A PRIVILEGE AND NOT A RIGHT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. (1) This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Tim Tebow Act." (2) As used in this section, the following words and phrases have the meanings ascribed in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: (a) "Homeschool" means a legitimate home instruction program as described under Section 37-13-91(3). (b) "Interscholastic extracurricular activity" means any school-authorized sport or activity sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association. (c) "Appropriate documentation" means: (i) The results of a nationally recognized standardized test or its equivalent as determined by the State Department of Education; (ii) A portfolio of the student's school work from the previous year demonstrating the student's proficiency appropriate for the student's grade level, as determined in the discretion of the school principal or counselor; or (iii) If …