AUSTIN — Texas would have the largest high school steroids testing program in the country under a bill approved by the Senate today.

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, although 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.

The proposed penalties for positive tests include:

— Refusal to take a test will be considered a positive test.

— A first positive test would bring a suspension of at least 30 days. A second would bring a one-year suspension, followed by the 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.