Steroid-testing bill in hands of governor

5/30/07

A bill that would provide mandatory, random steroid testing of Texas high school athletes is in the hands of the governor.

Under the bill passed by the Legislature this week, athletes who test positive, or refuse to be tested, could be suspended from play. Athletes in all sports could be tested.

 Testing will begin at the start of this coming football season if Gov. Rick Perry signs the bill or allows it to become law. The governor has not expressed opposition to the bill but has not yet signed it.

Thedrick Harris, head football coach and athletic director at Marshall High School, supports the new bill.

"Steroids is something that needs to be out of all athletics," he said. "I think there's a top tier of kids that are trying to do anything they can to get in college to try to get to the next level, and they'll do anything they can to try to do it."

Harris believes the biggest abusers of steroids are larger school districts in Texas.

If the legislation becomes law, Texas would become the second state to have high school steroid testing. It would also be the largest such testing program in the country, affecting approximately 22,000 students.

Under terms of the bill, steroid testing would take place at different times during the school year.