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