Tebow bill stalls in Senate committee

RICHMOND, Va. (WDBJ) - A General Assembly committee has defeated legislation that would have allowed home school students to take part in public school athletic programs.

Members of the Senate Education and Health Committee voted Thursday to “pass by” the legislation, which should prevent the bill from reaching the floor of the State Senate.

The legislation, dubbed the “Tebow Bill,” is a perennial in the General Assembly.

It was introduced this year by Del. Marie March (R-Floyd Co.). The bill was not a mandate, but would have allowed local school systems to provide home school students access to their athletic teams.

Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D-Richmond) chaired a subcommittee that considered the proposal.

“This bill was opposed by the Virginia High School League, the Superintendents’ Association, the School Boards Association, Norfolk schools, Henrico County schools and the VEA,” Hashmi said.

“This bill is now the law in 35 states,” March countered. “The policy works and it brings communities together. No state has repealed this law.”

The legislation cleared the House of Delegates, but failed in the Senate committee on a vote of 8 to 7.

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