HR0895 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0895 LRB098 20446 MST 56308 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Thousands of young students participate in high school athletic and academic competitions in Illinois each school year; and

WHEREAS, High school athletic and academic contests are an integral part of all communities across Illinois, both small and large; and

WHEREAS, Public high school athletic and academic programs belong to the taxpayers who fund their local school districts across Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The health and safety of those students and student athletes is of paramount importance; and

WHEREAS, School districts incur substantial costs to enable students and student athletes to have broad athletic and academic opportunities; and

WHEREAS, The State Board of Education provides general oversight to school districts throughout Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois High School Athletic Association (IHSA) provides oversight and administrative assistance to school athletic programs and other extra-curricular programs; and

WHEREAS, The IHSA regulates, or has attempted to regulate, access to high school athletic and academic events, including access by members of local community media organizations; and

WHEREAS, The IHSA has entered into exclusive contracts with vendors and suppliers to identify particular types of balls, bats, and other athletic equipment and clothing that are required to be used by IHSA members, in return for monetary compensation to the IHSA; and

WHEREAS, The IHSA and other state athletic associations have discussed a national venture to control access to and distribution of video and other media coverage of publicly funded high school athletic and academic competitions; and

WHEREAS, The IHSA has refused to make public exclusive contracts with vendors and suppliers of "the official state basketball" and similar contracts, including the income to IHSA from such sponsorships; and

WHEREAS, Illinois high schools should be aware of the funds generated by these contracts between the IHSA and vendors and suppliers, as well as the revenues generated by the athletic and academic contests in which Illinois's student athletes participate; and

WHEREAS, With few exceptions, IHSA members may compete only with other IHSA members in athletic and academic contests (IHSA Constitution Section 2.050) resulting in virtual mandatory membership in the IHSA for schools; and

WHEREAS, The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit's final holding in the case of Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, and American, Inc. v. Gannett Co., Inc., and Wisconsin Newspaper Association.658 F.3d 614, is contrary to the public policy of the State of Illinois, and it is incumbent upon this General Assembly to enact legislation to properly re-state the policy of the State; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the House Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education be encouraged to hold subject matter hearings on the issues presented by this Resolution, the administration and funding of high school sports, the safety of high school athletes, the systems and protocols of the IHSA, the costs and income associated with the administration of high school sports (including any trademarks or copyrights claimed by the IHSA) and the feasibility of statutorily transferring the duties and functions of the IHSA to the Illinois State Board of Education; the committee is further asked to examine the issues of transparency and accountability in relation to high school athletic and academic programs in Illinois; the Committee is encouraged to make recommendations to the full House of Representatives on these issues.