A bill recently signed by Governor Greg Abbott gives officials more power in ejecting spectators from UIL and school-sanctioned events.
The bill, SB2929, was authored by Senator Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) and allows a referee, judge or other official at extracurricular athletic events to remove spectators without warning. The previous ruling was that officials could only eject spectators for inappropriate behavior if they were given a verbal warning and the behavior continued.
“These requirements hinder referees, judges, or other officials from responding appropriately to highly disruptive or dangerous spectators during UIL events,” Senator Creighton said in the bill’s analysis. “SB 2929 seeks to improve student safety and avoid disruption of certain school events by allowing certain individuals to immediately eject spectators from UIL events.”
The new ruling goes into effect for the 2025-26 school year.