Prohibits school membership in an athletic association that does not provide for third-party arbitration of eligibility rule violations
Impact
The proposed law reinforces the importance of third-party arbitration in maintaining the integrity of school athletics. By requiring associations to implement an arbitration process, HB83 seeks to provide a structured framework for resolving eligibility disputes, thereby potentially reducing the number of conflicts and enhancing transparency in decision-making for schools. This could also protect students' rights to fair treatment, preserving their ability to compete in a secure environment free from arbitrary disqualifications due to eligibility issues.
Summary
House Bill 83 is a legislative measure that seeks to amend existing laws regarding school participation in intrastate interscholastic extracurricular athletic associations. Specifically, the bill mandates that public schools and nonpublic schools receiving public funds must not participate in or be members of any athletic associations that do not provide for third-party arbitration concerning eligibility rule violations. This revision aims to ensure fairness and due process in the resolution of disputes related to student athlete eligibility within school sports programs.
Sentiment
The sentiment surrounding House Bill 83 appears generally supportive among educators and administrators who recognize the value of having a formal dispute resolution mechanism in place for eligibility matters. Proponents believe that enhancing the arbitration process can create a more equitable environment for student athletes and ensure that decisions about eligibility are made fairly. However, there may be some concerns from athletic associations about the administrative burden this requirement may impose, especially on smaller organizations.
Contention
While the bill primarily seeks to enhance the governance of student athletics, there may be contention surrounding the interpretation of what constitutes a 'rule violation' as opposed to other eligibility concerns. Debates may arise about the adequacy of third-party arbitration and whether such processes could be considered costly or time-consuming for schools and associations. Additionally, there may be differing opinions about the balance between local control over athletic programs and the need for state-mandated standards for arbitration.
Prohibits certain schools from being a member of any interscholastic extra-curricular athletic association or organization that does not provide for third-party arbitration of eligibility issues. (gov sig)
Prohibits schools from being members of or participating in events sponsored by an athletic association unless the association allows member schools to participate in voluntary competition with schools belonging to other athletic associations
Prohibits membership in, and participation in competition sponsored by, an intrastate extracurricular athletic association or organization that does not provide equal opportunity to students to participate in sports by age, year of attendance, or gender. (gov sig)
Prohibits schools from being members of or participating in athletic competitions sponsored by an association that is not audited by the legislative auditor (EG SEE FISC NOTE GF EX See Note)
Prohibits certain schools from being members of any interscholastic extracurricular athletic association or organization that does not have certain persons as members of its executive committee. (gov sig) (Item #42)
Prohibits public high school participation in interscholastic athletics regulated by any association that discriminates among schools based on school admissions criteria in classifying schools into divisions for competition
Prohibits certain schools from being members of or participating in competitions sponsored by organizations that delay a student's eligibility to participate in sports under certain circumstances
Public K-12 schools; playing nonpublic schools in post-season athletics, membership in certain athletic associations, competition against certain schools; prohibited