As used in this section, “wearing religious apparel” means the wearing of headwear, clothing, jewelry, or other coverings while observing a sincerely held religious belief.

Terms Used In Ohio Code 3313.5317

  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
  • Property: means real and personal property. See Ohio Code 1.59
  • Rule: includes regulation. See Ohio Code 1.59
  • state: means the state of Ohio. See Ohio Code 1.59
  • Whoever: includes all persons, natural and artificial; partners; principals, agents, and employees; and all officials, public or private. See Ohio Code 1.02

(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, no public or nonpublic school, school district, interscholastic conference, or organization that regulates interscholastic athletics shall adopt a rule, bylaw, or other regulation that prohibits or creates any obstruction to wearing religious apparel when competing or participating in interscholastic athletics or extracurricular activities, including requirements that participants obtain advanced approval, written waivers, or any other permission.

(B) A school or district, interscholastic conference, or organization that regulates interscholastic athletics may limit wearing religious apparel while competing or participating in interscholastic athletics or extracurricular activities if a legitimate danger to participants is identified due to wearing religious apparel. If such a danger is identified, the administrator or official of the event or activity shall offer all reasonable accommodations to the participant wearing religious apparel.

(C) A school or school district, member of a district board of education or governing authority, a district or school employee, member or employee of an interscholastic conference, or organization that regulates interscholastic athletics or employee of such an organization is not liable in damages in a civil action for injury, death, or loss to person or property allegedly arising from the school, district, board member or governing authority, district or school employee, interscholastic conference member or employee, or interscholastic athletics organization or organization employee executing any duties under this section unless the act or omission constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.

This division does not eliminate, limit, or reduce any other immunity or defense that a school or school district, member of a district board or governing authority, or a district or school employee may be entitled to under Chapter 2744. or any other provision of the Revised Code or under the common law of this state.

(D) Whoever violates this section is subject to a civil action for damages, injunctive relief, or any other appropriate relief.

Last updated March 15, 2022 at 5:08 PM

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