The sit-out period for transfer students will change if member schools of the Ohio High School Athletic Association pass an amendment in May.

The OHSAA announced on Wednesday that members will vote on a proposed change to the association’s transfer bylaw between May 1 and May 15.

The proposal is for transfers to sit out the second half of regular season and all postseason play in sports that the student played in the previous year. Currently, transfers who do not meet an exception must sit out preseason contests and the first half of regular season before becoming eligible to participate.

“Much of the feedback we have received from the membership indicates that the current consequence – sitting out the first half of the regular-season – is not a significant deterrent,” OHSAA commissioner Dr. Dan Ross said in a statement. “If a student knows that the end of the regular-season and the tournament will still be available, they are more likely to transfer. We don’t believe that a high number of transfers is good for education-based athletics.”

There are 11 exceptions in the transfer bylaw, the most common being a change of residence into a new school district, which grant immediate eligibility.

The transfer bylaw was changed to its current format in 2013. Previously, transferring without meeting one of the exceptions resulted in ineligibility for an entire calendar year in all sports regardless of which sports the student played at the previous school.

The proposed change can be approved by a majority vote of the OHSAA’s 819 member high schools. Members will vote on the amendment and six other bylaw proposals in the first half of May, with results announced on May 16.

If approved by the membership, the change would become effective immediately and apply to any students who transfer after May 16, 2018.