Governor Signs HB1633 Into Law, Changing Arkansas High School Athletic Transfer Rules
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has officially signed House Bill 1633 into law, bringing immediate changes to Arkansas high school student-athlete transfer rules. The bill, introduced earlier this year, carries an emergency clause and is now in effect.
HB1633 significantly impacts eligibility requirements for participation in extracurricular and interscholastic athletic activities across public, private, and charter schools in Arkansas. Most notably, the bill mandates that any student who transfers schools after June 1 following their 9th-grade year will be ineligible to participate in varsity athletic activities for 365 days.
The law also tightens requirements for homeschooled students. Under the new regulations, homeschooled students must now be approved to participate by May 1—instead of the previous July 1 deadline—if they wish to be eligible for varsity athletics during the school year in which they are enrolled in grades 7 through 10. Missing this deadline results in a 365-day varsity ineligibility period.
Similarly, students transferring to nonpublic (private) schools must enroll by May 1 to be immediately eligible for athletic activities.
Additionally, the bill includes a new requirement for students transferring to nonpublic schools: they must complete a Changing Schools/Athletic Participation Form, which must be signed by the student, parent/guardian, the current school, and the receiving school. If there is evidence of athletic recruiting, the form may be denied.
As speculation and misinformation spread across social media, ArkansasVarsity.com reached out to Bobby Swofford, spokesperson for the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA), to clarify the bill’s implications.
Swofford noted that although there had been rumors claiming the bill was already law prior to the Governor’s signature, that was not the case at the time.
“To our knowledge the Governor has not signed it yet, meaning nothing has changed as of right now,” Swofford said in a statement made prior to the official signing.
Now that the bill has been signed, the new rules apply immediately.
Swofford also addressed a common rumor that students must move at least 25 miles to retain athletic eligibility after a school transfer. He clarified that this mileage requirement only applies to private school transfers.
“The mileage rule has only ever been for private schools since they don’t technically have a school district,” Swofford explained.
He also reaffirmed that bona fide moves—such as a family relocating due to a new job—remain a valid reason for immediate eligibility, regardless of distance moved.
“If a student-athlete makes a bona fide move, the mileage does not matter. Only the district that they live in,” said Swofford. “We can’t rule a student ineligible if mom or dad get a new job and have to move.”
HB1633 was introduced by Republican legislators Keith Brooks and Bart Hester on February 28. It passed the Arkansas House of Representatives on March 12, cleared the Senate on March 19, and was sent to Governor Sanders' desk on April 9. With the signing now complete, the law is in effect for the 2024–2025 academic year and beyond.
The bill aims to provide greater structure and planning for athletic programs by giving schools earlier notice on student participation and reducing potential recruiting issues.
You can read HB 1633 by Clicking Here.