SAN ANTONIO – A Texas state representative has introduced a bill that could allow high school athletes to transfer for athletic reasons.
State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, representing District 120 in San Antonio, filed House Bill 619 to allow high school students to transfer once during their four years of high school for athletic purposes.
Gervin-Hawkins hopes it’ll give athletes more opportunities to pursue scholarships and succeed at the next level.
“For me, sports are important for our youngsters. It really truly can be a vehicle out of poverty,” Gervin-Hawkins said in an interview. “I’m concerned that we are holding kids back that could move forward.”
Currently, Texas law allows high school students to transfer schools for academic reasons, such as for magnet programs, but not for athletics.
Gervin-Hawkins believes the bill would give students who are above-average or average athletes a better chance to succeed by offering more opportunities to compete at schools that might provide a better environment for their athletic growth.
“We need to create every opportunity for kids to succeed,” she said. “It’s my job as a legislator to help them do that.”
This is the third time Gervin-Hawkins has filed the bill after facing opposition in previous sessions from coaches and athletic directors. Many of the concerns raised have centered on the potential for recruiting, though Gervin-Hawkins says recruiting already takes place despite being officially prohibited.
“If we’re blessed with getting it passed, I would love to sit down with the coaches' association and work through what they believe would be a good model to follow,” she said.
If the bill passes, it could go into effect as soon as Sept. 1, 2025. Gervin-Hawkins is committed to pushing the legislation until it becomes law, citing the importance of giving Texas students every opportunity to succeed.
This legislative session marks the beginning of new discussions that could reshape high school athletics in Texas.
