MONTGOMERY — Governor Kay Ivey and House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter are continuing their legal efforts against the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA), following a recent court order that blocked the organization’s enforcement of certain eligibility restrictions.
On September 5, 2025, the Montgomery County Circuit Court granted a temporary order preventing the AHSAA from applying its one-year waiting period for students transferring under the Creating Hope and Opportunity for Our Students’ Education Act (CHOOSE Act). That rule had barred students from participating in school athletics for one year after transferring.
On Friday, Ivey and Ledbetter filed an amended complaint and a preliminary-injunction motion to extend protections for students and schools. The filings also challenge the AHSAA’s “Restitution Rules,” which could penalize students and schools if athletes are later deemed ineligible, even if they played under a court order.
Governor Ivey criticized the policy, stating:
“It was bad enough when the AHSAA decided to sideline CHOOSE Act student-athletes in violation of state law. It is even worse to learn that the AHSAA will penalize schools and students for playing pursuant to the court order Speaker Ledbetter and I obtained just two weeks ago. I remain steadfast in support of the CHOOSE Act and its promise of true school choice, even when it comes to participation in athletics. I look forward to the court righting this wrong as soon as possible.”
The Montgomery County Circuit Court is expected to hold a hearing on the preliminary-injunction motion in the coming weeks. The outcome could determine how the CHOOSE Act applies to high school athletics across Alabama as the school year continues.
