PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 105 PRINTER'S NO. 281
No. 6 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY RHOADES, JUBELIRER, MELLOW, COSTA, GERLACH,
LAVALLE, O'PAKE, ROBBINS, SLOCUM, TOMLINSON, HELFRICK, BELAN,
MUSTO, WHITE, THOMPSON, CORMAN, KASUNIC, WENGER AND FUMO,
JANUARY 11, 1999
AMENDED, FEBRUARY 1, 1999
A RESOLUTION
1 Reauthorizing the Senate Special Committee on Interscholastic
2 Athletics to ensure that the organization of interscholastic
3 athletics in the Commonwealth is in the best interests of
4 Pennsylvania's student athletes and citizens by monitoring
5 the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association as the
6 Association implements the recommendations contained in the
7 Special Committee's final report.
8 WHEREAS, The Senate Special Committee on Interscholastic
9 Athletics was created on February 10, 1998, by the Senate's
10 unanimous approval of Senate Resolution 127, which authorized
11 the Special Committee to conduct a thorough review of the
12 organization of interscholastic athletics in Pennsylvania and
13 submit a report of its findings and recommendations; and
14 WHEREAS, Consistent with this mission, the Senate Special
15 Committee on Interscholastic Athletics engaged in an extensive
16 fact-finding process, which included seven public hearings, 57
17 witnesses and 8,338 pages of documents, and which revealed that
18 significant problems existed in areas including: public access
19 to meetings, due process rights for student athletes, bidding on
1 contracts, broadcasters access to events and school
2 classifications; and
3 WHEREAS, The Senate Special Committee on Interscholastic
4 Athletics engaged the services of an internationally recognized
5 auditing firm for the purpose of conducting a comprehensive
6 review of the financial and management practices of the
7 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, which
8 revealed that significant problems existed in areas including:
9 inappropriate approval of expenses, failure to claim certain
10 payments as income and failure to document payments to part-time
11 employees; and
12 WHEREAS, The Senate Special Committee on Interscholastic
13 Athletics created eight advisory committees composed of citizen
14 volunteers with an interest in interscholastic athletics, which
15 committees drafted 79 specific recommendations for change in the
16 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association including
17 improvements in: openness, due process, championship game site
18 selection and representation on the Board of Control; and
19 WHEREAS, After a close review of this detailed factual
20 record, the Senate Special Committee on Interscholastic
21 Athletics determined that the Pennsylvania Interscholastic
22 Athletic Association must make significant policy, management
23 and organizational changes in five areas, including: openness in
24 its procedures, oversight of its operations, due process for its
25 student athletes, reform of its operations and review of its
26 eligibility rules; and
27 WHEREAS, The Senate Special Committee on Interscholastic
28 Athletics unanimously approved a report on November 30, 1998,
29 which contains 18 specific recommendations for change in these
30 five areas and determined that the Pennsylvania Interscholastic
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1 Athletic Association must take immediate action to implement
2 these recommendations in order to demonstrate that the
3 organization is committed to acting in the interests of the
4 citizens and student athletes it is supposed to serve; and
5 WHEREAS, THE SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON INTERSCHOLASTIC <--
6 ATHLETICS BELIEVES THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS CONTAINED IN THE
7 SPECIAL COMMITTEE'S REPORT OF NOVEMBER 30, 1998, SHOULD BE
8 IMPLEMENTED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC
9 ASSOCIATION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE; AND
10 WHEREAS, The Senate Special Committee on Interscholastic
11 Athletics' report concluded that continued review by the Special
12 Committee is necessary to ensure that the Pennsylvania
13 Interscholastic Athletic Association implement the Special
14 Committee's recommendations; and
15 WHEREAS, The Senate Special Committee on Interscholastic
16 Athletics' report further concluded that continued review by the
17 Special Committee is necessary to determine whether the
18 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association has failed to
19 implement the Special Committee's recommendations and whether
20 the General Assembly must seek legislative remedies to the
21 problems that the Special Committee has identified in the
22 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association; therefore be
23 it
24 RESOLVED, That the Senate reauthorize the Senate Special
25 Committee on Interscholastic Athletics in order to monitor the
26 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association as the
27 Association implements the recommendations contained in the
28 Special Committee's report; and be it further
29 RESOLVED, That the Senate believe that the recommendations <--
30 contained in the Special Committee's report of November 30,
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1 1998, should be implemented by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic
2 Athletic Association as quickly as possible; and be it further
3 RESOLVED, That the Senate Special Committee on
4 Interscholastic Athletics submit a final report or such
5 periodical reports as it deems necessary to the Governor, the
6 Department of Education, and the Senate. The final report or
7 periodical reports shall include:
8 (1) A summary of actions taken by the Pennsylvania
9 Interscholastic Athletic Association with respect to each of
10 the 18 specific recommendations contained in the Special
11 Committee's report of November 30, 1998.
12 (2) A determination of whether the actions taken by the
13 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association with
14 respect to the Special Committee's recommendations are
15 adequate to ensure that the Pennsylvania Interscholastic
16 Athletic Association will fulfill its obligation to
17 Pennsylvania's citizens and student athletes.
18 (3) A determination of whether the actions taken by the
19 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association with
20 respect to any of the Special Committee's recommendations
21 represent a failure to fulfill its obligation to
22 Pennsylvania's citizens and student athletes which requires a
23 legislative remedy; and be it further
24 RESOLVED, That the Special Committee on Interscholastic
25 Athletics consist of ten members appointed as follows:
26 (1) Five members of the Senate appointed by the
27 President pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall be
28 designated as chairman.
29 (2) Four members of the Senate appointed by the Minority
30 Leader of the Senate.
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1 (3) The President pro tempore of the Senate, who shall
2 be a voting member of the Special Committee; and be it
3 further
4 RESOLVED, That the committee may hold hearings, take
5 testimony, issue subpoenas duces tecum and other necessary
6 process to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production
7 of any books, letters or other documentary evidence desired by
8 such committee. The chairman may administer all oaths and
9 affirmations in the manner prescribed by law to witnesses who
10 appear before the committee for the purpose of testifying in any
11 matter about which the committee may desire evidence; and be it
12 further
13 RESOLVED, That the committee be authorized to appoint a panel
14 of advisors to the committee composed of such interested parties
15 as the committee deems appropriate.
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