AB 1660, Cooper. Interscholastic athletics: California Interscholastic Federation: report.
Existing law describes the California Interscholastic Federation as a voluntary organization that consists of school and school-related personnel with responsibility for administering interscholastic athletic activities in secondary schools, and sets forth the Legislature’s intent regarding the California Interscholastic Federation’s implementation of certain policies. Existing law required the California Interscholastic Federation, on or before January 1, 2016, to report to the Legislature and the Governor on its evaluation and accountability activities undertaken pursuant to specified provisions. Existing law repeals those provisions on January 1, 2017.
This bill would delete the repeal date, and would require the California Interscholastic Federation, on or before January 1, 2023, and on or before January 1 every 7 years thereafter, to report to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature and the Governor on its evaluation and accountability activities undertaken pursuant to specified provisions. The bill would require the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature, upon receiving a report, to hold a joint hearing at which the California Interscholastic Federation would be required, and members of the public would be encouraged, to testify on information in the report.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 33353 of the Education Code is amended to read:
(a) The California Interscholastic Federation is a voluntary organization that consists of school and school-related personnel with responsibility for administering interscholastic athletic activities in secondary schools. It is the intent of the Legislature that the California Interscholastic Federation, in consultation with the department, implement the following policies:
(1) Give the governing boards of school districts specific authority to select their athletic league representatives.
(2) Require that all league, section, and state meetings affiliated with the California Interscholastic Federation be subject to the notice and hearing requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code).
(3) Establish a neutral final appeals body to hear complaints related to interscholastic athletic policies.
(4) Provide information to parents and pupils regarding the state and federal complaint procedures for discrimination complaints arising out of interscholastic athletic activities.
(5) Comply with the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code), and in doing so, as a third-party recipient of pupil and school personnel information, be afforded the same public records disclosure exemptions as are afforded to school districts, in order to protect the confidentiality of pupil and school personnel records and information.
(b) (1) The California Interscholastic Federation shall report to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature and the Governor on its evaluation and accountability activities undertaken pursuant to this section on or before January 1, 2023, and on or before January 1 every seven years thereafter. This report shall include, but not be limited to, the goals and objectives of the California Interscholastic Federation with regard to, and the status of, all of the following:
(A) The governing structure of the California Interscholastic Federation, and the effectiveness of that governance structure in providing leadership for interscholastic athletics in secondary schools.
(B) Methods to facilitate communication with agencies, organizations, and public entities whose functions and interests interface with the California Interscholastic Federation.
(C) The quality of coaching and officiating, including, but not limited to, professional development for coaches and athletic administrators, and parent education programs.
(D) Gender equity in interscholastic athletics, including, but not limited to, the number of male and female pupils participating in interscholastic athletics in secondary schools, and action taken by the California Interscholastic Federation in order to ensure compliance with Title IX of the federal Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1681 et seq.).
(E) Health and safety of pupils, coaches, officials, and spectators.
(F) The economic viability of interscholastic athletics in secondary schools, including, but not limited to, the promotion and marketing of interscholastic athletics.
(G) New and continuing programs available to pupil athletes.
(H) Awareness and understanding of emerging issues related to interscholastic athletics in secondary schools.
(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that the California Interscholastic Federation accomplish all of the following:
(A) During years in which the California Interscholastic Federation is not required to report to the Legislature and the Governor pursuant to paragraph (1), it shall hold a public comment period relating to that report at three regularly scheduled federation council meetings per year.
(B) Annually allow public comment on the policies and practices of the California Interscholastic Federation at a regularly scheduled federation council meeting.
(C) Require sections of the California Interscholastic Federation to allow public comment on the policies and practices of the California Interscholastic Federation and its sections, and the report required pursuant to paragraph (1), at each regularly scheduled section meeting.
(D) Engage in a comprehensive outreach effort to promote the public hearings described in subparagraphs (A) and (C).
(3) Upon receiving a report from the California Interscholastic Federation pursuant to paragraph (1), the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature shall hold a joint hearing at which the California Interscholastic Federation shall testify and members of the public shall be encouraged to testify on information in the report, including, but not limited to, the information required in paragraph (1).
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