Florida bill that addresses higher high school coaching pay, transfers passes house vote
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Monday represented another significant milestone for Florida high school athletics, as it advanced the Senate bill surrounded around increasing coaching salaries and implementing new policies to address in-season transfers going forward.
Senate Bill 538 passed by a 104-6 vote and is moving forward towards the next step as the movement towards approving higher coaching pay in the state of Florida continues. The bill also addresses in-season student-athlete movement, limiting the ability to do so unless of a extraordinary circumstance.
The next step would be the bill being approved by the Senate, which could happen this week, with the final step after that would need a signature by Governor Ron DeSantis before it becomes officially approved.
SB 538 centers around eligibility for athletic activities, removing the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) role for private school participation and bans schools from charging extra fees for extracurriculars. Also included would be focusing on extracurricular funding flexibility for Florida coaches, officially allowing booster clubs funds for extra pay.
The bill’s key provision would gives school districts around the state the financial flexibility to use booster club donations for coaching compensation, but would strictly prohibit using the funds to be used for severance pay of any sort.
One addition to the bills would dramatically change Florida’s student-athlete movement once a season begins as it reads the following:
(a) A student who transfers to a school during the school year may request to immediately join an existing team if the roster for the specific interscholastic or intrascholastic extracurricular activity has not reached the activity’s identified maximum size and if the coach for the activity determines that the student has the requisite skill and ability to participate.
(b) A student may not participate in sports if the student participated in sports at another school during that school year, unless granted approval by the executive director of the governing association or the student meets one of the following criteria:
- Dependent children of active duty military personnel whose move resulted from military orders.
- Children who have been relocated due to a foster care placement in a different school zone.
- Children who move due to a court-ordered change in custody due to separation or divorce, or the serious illness or death of a custodial parent.
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