CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bill that would allow homeschool students to participate in public school athletics will be up for passage in the state Senate after senators rejected three proposed amendments.
And a bill allowing the state Development Office to take the lead on big tourism development projects in small towns is also up for passage after senators approved an amendment aiming to reassure municipalities.
Those were two of many bills the Senate considered Monday during a floor session that lasted almost three hours.
The bill about athletics participation — which is called the Tim Tebow Act after the football star who was a homeschooler — has been considered by the Legislature each of the past few years.
Gov. Jim Justice, who vetoed the bill a couple of years ago, told MetroNews last week that he would now sign it if it reaches his desk.
On Monday, Senator Stephen Baldwin, D-Greenbrier, offered three amendments that he said could even the playing field for homeschoolers and the public schools where they might play sports.
“I think a lot of folks are sort of in the middle and see good arguments on both sides,” Baldwin said..
One would have allowed the schools to count the “Tebow students” in their enrollment figures. Baldwin suggested that also would have clearly marked the athletes as protected by state insurance under the possibility of injuries while playing. He said it also would have ensured the tax dollars actually follow the student to the school.
Senate Education Chairwoman Patricia Rucker, R-Jefferson, said that amendment would have been redundant to other language in the bill already.
Another Baldwin amendment would have allowed counties to decide whether they want to abide by the Tebow provisions or not.
“This is how we do academics, and this is why I’m sponsoring this,” Baldwin said.
Judiciary Chairman Charles Trump, R-Morgan, rose and said that would just provide an additional barrier to participation.
“The purpose of this Tim Tebow bill is to expand opportunities for homeschoolers,” he said.
Baldwin’s third proposed amendment attempted to even out academic standards between the homeschool requirements and what’s required in public schools.
Rucker said homeschool students already have to meet rigorous, regular standards.
On the Tourism Development Districts bill, Rucker proposed several changes to the language of the bill aimed at putting municipalities at ease.
“These additional things just make it clear we do want the input of the municipality and its citizens,” Rucker said.
The bill would allow for five Tourism Development Districts in West Virginia, although only one has been specified so far — the long-discussed, $139 million Hill Top House hotel project in Harpers Ferry.
The act would enable the state Development Office to spearhead a project under certain conditions. The Department of Transportation is required to provide support, including acquiring and developing streets and roads.
The bill would apply to Class IV municipalities of fewer than 2,000 residents. And it would apply to projects with investments of more than $25 million, in historic districts and qualifying for state tourism tax credits, which have their own requirements.
Senator John Unger, D-Berkeley, rose and asked Rucker several questions about the changes to the bill.
“Sounds like we are making state government the final decision maker in any Tourism Development District,” Unger said.