Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) has written legislation that will limit how the Alabama High School Athletic Association can determine athlete eligibility and that aims to provide oversight to how publicly funded athletic associations operate.

The potential laws were inspired by the association's ruling in May 2022 that booted both the Spanish Fort High School boys' and girls' soccer teams from the Class 6A state playoffs.

At the time, the association deemed both teams fielded ineligible players, resulting in $400 in fines and a one-year probation.

The issue stemmed from a family who moved to Baldwin County from out of state and the timing of the move. However, opponents of the decision said the association should have determined the players' eligibility during regular season play, not after the team had advanced to the final rounds.

At the time, Elliott said in interviews that he planned to "fix the problem one way or another."

This year, the senator has filed six bills that address eligibility rules and how public schools work with the association.

SB 249 would require K-12 public schools and the athletic association to evaluate the eligibility of each student who intends to participate in a sport at least 21 days before the first event for that sport.

The bill also states that that eligibility ruling, which is subject to the policies of the athletic association, is final for the entire school year and cannot be changed by the school or the association.

SB 250 would require local boards of education to pay fines, fees or other penalties charged by the athletic association to a student or parent of a student for violating the eligibility polices of the athletic association.

SB 251 would stop the athletic association, public schools or a local board of education from stripping eligibility from students or coaches who participate on a team or in a sporting event outside of their school athletic team. The bill also prohibits any of those organizations from imposing a penalty on coaches or students for participating in teams outside of school.

The language of SB 253 is similar but dictates that no coach, non-faculty coach or administrator of a public school team can be stopped from coaching or participating in an event outside or in addition to a school sport.

Under current law, an athletic association is not subject to any form of state administered audit. SB 254 would change that.

This bill would require the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts to audit any athletic association which receives public funds in any form in the same manner as any agency of the state.

Similarly, SB 283 would require that all contracts entered into by an athletic association that receives public funds to be reviewed by the Contract Review Permanent Legislative Oversight Committee. Currently no state agency is involved with athletic association financing or contracts.

Each bill has been introduced and sent to their respective committees.