Texas Nears Statewide Testing For Steroids

Senate Approves Measure That Would Affect 733,000 High School Athletes

(AP)  Texas would have the largest high school steroids testing program in the country under a bill approved by the Senate on Tuesday.

The program would test at least 22,000 public school athletes starting next fall. Students who test positive would have to sit out of competition for 30 days, and repeat positive tests could lead to a permanent ban.

"I think this will make high school athletics safer," said Sen. Kyle Janek, R-Houston, the sponsor of the measure. The bill passed 28-2 and now goes to the House.

The House is considering a similar measure.

The big difference between the two chambers is how to pay for it. The Senate would have the state bear the cost, which could be up to $4 million per year. The House measure would require the University Interscholastic League, the state's governing body for high school sports, to assess a fee on sports tickets to pay for the tests.

Texas has about 733,000 athletes at about 1,300 public schools.

Under the proposed law, refusal to take a test will be considered a positive test. An initial positive test would bring a suspension of at least 30 days. A second would bring a one-year suspension, followed by a permanent ban for a third.

The bill does not include sanctions for schools whose athletes test positive.

The bill would also require middle school and high school coaches to complete a training program on the dangers of steroid use, which can include dramatic mood swings, heart disease and cancer.

A state study among 141,000 Texas students in grades 7-12 conducted by Texas A&M University found that steroid use fell from 2 percent in 2004 to 1.5 percent in 2006. Among 12th graders, it went down from 2.4 percent to 1.8 percent.

[dvillegas43-2009]

Why not ban them for the year? The following year the "student-athlete" will have to submit to another steroid test. If the levels are down to or close to normal then he or she will be allowed to particpate only if they submit to random tests through out the year. If they are caught cheating again, and it is cheating, then they get a lifetime ban. And all the results become part of their permenant record. This will prevent school hopping. If you are going to make it mean something than do it. Don't fool around around.

[jusdane]

WOW! Kudos to Texas for this precedent. having to sit out of competition for 30 days for the first offense (with the threat of a permanent ban) sends the same message as more lengthy sentence without adversely effecting their career. 30 days says "we caught you once, and if you do this again you'll pay dearly. Only downside to this is who'll be footing the bill.

[karlpound]

Yeah what a great idea... next they ought to start testing the pee wee leagues too. Kids can't be trusted.

Waste of state resources, invasion of kids privacy. Why not test when you have some evidence of guilt; versus treating everybody as guilty and making them prove their innocence.

[jsilver2th]

what a joke