HB1215

House Bill 1215 amends existing Arkansas law regarding the usage of multiple occupancy restrooms and changing areas in public schools and open-enrollment charter schools. It specifically creates a new exemption for coaches and athletic personnel to enter facilities designated for the opposite sex under strictly defined circumstances. These circumstances are limited to times before, during, or after athletic events for the purposes of addressing, supervising, or treating student athletes. To qualify for this exemption, the coach or personnel member must ensure that no person is in a state of undress while they are present. Additionally, the presence of a second adult is required whenever a coach or personnel member enters a restroom or changing area of the opposite sex. The bill does not alter the existing legal definitions or requirements for school facility designations but adds this specific operational flexibility for athletic programs.