Imagine a track athlete in central Baldwin County has a parent who drives to the beach for work every day. The athlete would like to choose to attend one of schools on the island because of the facilities and coaching. The parents are willing to make the transportation requirements but the student is told they will have to give up their athletics for a year if they choose to transfer. What if it is their junior or senior season, when many athletes develop and are seen by college recruiters. That was the rule in Alabama.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has signed the "Let the Kids Play Act" (SB342) into law, effective immediately, to permanently prevent athletic discrimination against students utilizing the state’s school choice program. The legislation ensures that students participating in the Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students' Education (CHOOSE) Act can engage in high school sports without facing unfair eligibility restrictions.

The bill was a direct response to actions by the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA), which had previously required transfer students using CHOOSE Act funds to sit out of high school athletics for one year. This policy had prompted Governor Ivey and House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter to file a lawsuit against the AHSAA last year, which resulted in a judge granting a temporary restraining order to allow student participation while the suit was pending.

The new law solidifies a permanent legal framework for protection. It allows CHOOSE Act participants who face discrimination based solely on their program status to pursue injunctive relief or damages against an athletic association.

Governor Ivey commented that the law is intended to ensure every child has a "fair shot" in both the classroom and on the field. State Senator Clyde Chambliss and State Representative Danny Garrett, who sponsored the bill, reinforced this by stating that educational choices should not limit a student's development through sports.

Ultimately, the act reinforces the state's commitment to school choice and establishes accountability measures to guarantee equal treatment for all Alabama students, regardless of their method of schooling.