Austin, TX
UIL bans foreign exchange students from Texas varsity sports
09 May 2014: Spectators assemble during the Texas state UIL meet at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas. (Photo by John Rivera/Icon SMI/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
AUSTIN, Texas – The University Interscholastic League is making changes to who is eligible to participate in varsity high school athletics.
UIL’s legislative council met Sunday and Monday to discuss rule changes in high school athletics across Texas. Among the changes coming is a ban on foreign exchange students from participating in UIL varsity athletics beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. The change comes in response to concerns about competitive advantage and fairness to Texas student-athletes.
What they’re saying:
“Our Texas kids are not allowed to go to a town, a neighboring town, without moving there and play at the varsity level, but they are allowed to get on a plane and come across to our state and play immediately, taking the place many times of a community kid that has worked hard to get that position on an athletic team,” Dr. Aaron Hood, Robert Lee ISD Superintendent, said.
Some, like Barbers Hill ISD Superintendent Dr. Greg Poole, agreed on the decision to ban foreign exchange students from varsity sports, but hopes the measure leads the way to closing open enrollment.
“You can tell teams that have a higher percentage of foreign exchange. You can also tell teams that have a higher percentage of open enrollment athletes,” Poole said. “I understand that’s not politically popular, but I throw it out there for the sake of the coaches that I have that feel like it’s unfair. I guess I would just say I hope we pass this, and I hope it opens the door for other motions.”
The rule only applies to varsity athletics and not other areas that the UIL has policies for, like academics and music.
Other policies passed by UIL
- The council approved a two-year pilot program to allow optional water polo spring training that begins immediately. The program would allow for 15 practices in a 30-day period after the state swimming championship. The athletic committee said this would allow the sport’s practice time to be more inline with other sports.
- The pilot status is being removed from a policy that allows coaches to coach up to two players in state association all-star games. The program was given initial approval in 2024 and is being made a rule following two years of positive feedback.
- An amendment that would require all schools in a competitive district to be included in the district schedule.
- An amendment that would require all scrimmages for boys and girls soccer to be completed before the “first day for games.”
- An amendment that would modify the current requirements that a coach must be a full-time employee or a student teacher to allow for student coaches completing field-based coaching hours as part of a university program to volunteer as assistant coaches.
The Standing Committee on Athletics will continue to study some other proposals
- A proposal to add girls’ flag football
- A proposal regarding softball and baseball noisemakers
- A proposal to add an Ambulatory Adaptive Division for UIL Track and Field
- A proposal to award points for Adaptive Track and Field events at the UIL Trackand Field State Meet.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Oct. 27, 2025, meeting of the UIL Legislative council.
AUSTIN, Texas — CBS Austin will air a special newscast Friday night examining where flood recovery efforts stand across Texas and what lies ahead, followed by a town hall streamed online.
“Rising Waters: One Year After the Floods” airs Friday at 6:30 p.m. on CBS Austin, taking a look at the current state of recovery efforts one year after the deadly flooding and posing the question of what’s next to state leaders.
Immediately following the special, a town hall will stream at 7 p.m. on CBSAustin.com and the station’s YouTube page.
AUSTIN, Texas – The Austin Police Department (APD) Lake Patrol Unit will be enforcing the City Ordnance that prohibits the use and operation of personal watercraft, wet bikes, motorized surfboards, and similar devices on Lake Austin.
The Austin Parks and Recreation Department and the Austin Police Department want the public to enjoy the parks and lakes but urge people to make this a safe holiday.
This city ordinance only applies to Lake Austin.
Personal watercraft ban
The backstory:
This ban will go into effect beginning at sunset on Friday, July 3, and ending on Sunday, July 5, at sunrise as outlined in Ordinance 8-5-81.
Non-motorized devices such as kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards can still be used along with watercraft designed for the conventional manner of sitting or standing in the vessel.
The annual ban on personal watercraft is necessary to ensure the safety of many people using the lake and parks over the July 4th holiday weekend.
Police will patrol Lake Austin this holiday weekend and urge people using waterways to follow the Texas Water Safety Act and City of Austin boating laws and ordinances. Police urge all boaters to practice safe boating and to call 9-1-1 for all reckless operation of boats or emergencies.
What is city ordinance 8-5-81?
- A person may not use or possess a jet ski, wet bike, motorized surfboard, or similar device on Lake Austin:From sunset on the Friday before Memorial Day until sunrise on the Tuesday after Memorial DayFrom sunset on the Friday before Labor Day until sunrise on the Tuesday after Labor DayFrom sunset on July 3 until sunrise on July 5
- From sunset on the Friday before Memorial Day until sunrise on the Tuesday after Memorial Day
- From sunset on the Friday before Labor Day until sunrise on the Tuesday after Labor Day
- From sunset on July 3 until sunrise on July 5
- A person operating a motorboat on Lake Austin shall stay on the right side of the lake, except when assisting a downed water skier.
- A person may not operate a watercraft on Lake Austin at a speed that is greater than reasonable and prudent under the existing circumstances.
The Source: Information from the Austin Police Department
AUSTIN, Texas – A Texas court has ordered that the domain name of a porn website be locked down after failing to comply with the state’s age-verification law.
What we know:
According to the Texas Attorney General’s Office, the state sued Kick Online Entertainment, the parent company of the site, in 2024 after it didn’t follow a law enacted in 2023. It requires that porn sites displayed in Texas institute age-verification measures to restrict minors’ access to sexually explicit material.
The company ignored the lawsuit and subsequent default judgment, according to officials.
A Travis County district court judge has since ordered the company that owns the domain registry for the site to lock it down until a $9.14 million bond and age-verification is implemented by Kick Online Entertainment.
What they’re saying:
“This court order establishes a huge precedent that websites can be stripped of their domain if they ignore the law and harm children with pornographic content,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. “This affirms that protecting children from pornographic content is not only about collecting a penalty but also shutting down websites that refuse to obey the law. My office will continue to take action against any website that harms kids by allowing them access to pornographic content.”
The backstory:
Texas’ age-verification law was challenged on free-speech grounds. It was upheld in June 2025 by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Some sites have opted to block access to computers in Texas rather than comply with the law.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Texas Attorney General’s Office and previous FOX Local reporting.
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