BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1154
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 15, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Julia Brownley, Chair
AB 1154 (Audra Strickland) - As Introduced: February 27, 2009
[This bill has been double referred to the Assembly Committee on
Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media.]
SUBJECT : California Interscholastic Federation: notice of
sanctions.
SUMMARY : Requires the California Interscholastic Federation,
if it imposes a sanction on an interscholastic team of a member
school, to post online the name of the school, the team that has
been penalized, the violation that has occasioned the sanction,
and a description of the sanction.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Specifies that 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; and,
establishes a sunset date of January 1, 2012 for this
responsibility.
2)Declares Legislative intent that the California
Interscholastic Federation, in consultation with the
department, implement the following policies:
a) Give the governing boards of school districts specific
authority to select their athletic league representatives.
b) 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.
c) Establish a neutral final appeals body to hear
complaints related to interscholastic athletic policies.
d) Provide information to parents and pupils regarding the
state and federal complaint procedures for discrimination
complaints arising out of interscholastic athletic
activities.
3)Requires the California Interscholastic Federation to report
to the Legislature and the Governor on its evaluation and
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accountability activities undertaken on or before January 1,
2010; and, requires the report to include:
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 Education Amendments of 1972.
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.
4)Declares Legislative intent 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 it shall hold a public comment period relating
to the 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, at each regularly scheduled section meeting.
d) Engage in a comprehensive outreach effort to promote the
public hearings.
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FISCAL EFFECT : This bill is keyed non-fiscal.
COMMENTS : This bill will require the California Interscholastic
Federation (CIF) to post online the name of the school, the team
that has been penalized, the violation, and a description of the
sanction, whenever the CIF imposes a sanction on an
interscholastic team. Even though CIF is authorized in statute
to have the responsibility for administering interscholastic
athletic activities in secondary schools, can the Legislature
require CIF to post things like sanctions on its website? Would
this bill create a precedent for the Legislature to require
other things from CIF? While it may be helpful to other schools
to have this information posted online, is it appropriate for
the Legislature to ask CIF to post this information in such a
public way?
Background on CIF . Since 1914, the California Department of
Education (CDE) has allowed the California Interscholastic
Federation, a voluntary association of schools, to regulate
interscholastic athletics statewide. The Federation consists of
ten regional sections, each of which is divided into several
"leagues," for purposes of scheduling athletic contests,
assigning referees, etc. Similar organizations exist in other
states. Almost all public, private and parochial schools are
CIF members.
The California Interscholastic Federation was organized at a
high school athletic convention held at the Y.M.C.A. Field
House, Los Angeles, on March 28, 1914. The primary
responsibilities of CIF are to administer high school athletic
programs and to promulgate and enforce rules relating to a
student's involvement in athletics - age, semesters in school,
scholarship, residence, transfer status, and amateur standing.
Such regulations, which are generated by the 1,400 member base
of secondary schools, prevent undesirable exploitation of high
school students, provide for the welfare of participants, and
ensure that interscholastic athletics offer major benefits to
students in a safe, rewarding environment. For purposes of
administration, California is divided into the following 10
sections: Southern Section, Central Section, Los Angeles City
Section, North Coast Section, Sac-Joaquin Section, Northern
Section, Oakland City Section, San Francisco Section, San Diego
Section and Central Coast Section. The State Federated Council
has complete control of all State championships in high school
athletics and may specify all details as to methods and places
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for conducting the contests. The CIF is one of the 50 state
associations that belong to the National Federation of State
High School Associations and actively participates in the
national organization. Generally, rules recommended by the
national body are adopted by CIF.
According to the author, the intent of the bill is to not only
increase the transparency of CIF activity, but to remind and
warn other schools or teams engaging or considering engaging in
activities that violate CIF regulations. By having these
records online, schools and pupils will have clear examples of
what is and is not acceptable. This will enhance the goal of
CIF sanctions to deter other schools and teams from violating
CIF policies.
According to CIF, information about sanctions imposed on teams
is posted on the CIF website and 9 out of the 10 section
websites as part of their regular meeting minutes.
Committee Amendment : If the committee chooses to pass this
bill, staff recommends the bill be amended to encourage CIF and
its sections to post team sanctions on their website.
Related legislation . AB 352 (Strickland) from 2009 declares the
intent of the Legislature that the California Interscholastic
Federation (CIF) in consultation with the California Department
of Education (CDE), comply with the California Public Records
Act. This bill is set to be heard by the Assembly Education
Committee on April 15, 2009.
AB 1039 (Strickland) from 2009 authorizes a pupil to appeal a
final decision made by the California Interscholastic Federation
to suspend or terminate a pupil from participation in a sport
for a violation of its codes and regulations; and, requires the
county board of education to be the final arbiter in the matter.
At the request of the author, this bill is being held in the
Assembly Education Committee as a two year bill.
Previous legislation . AB 2312 (Strickland) from 2006 would have
prohibited school districts, associations or consortia of school
districts, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF),
voluntary associations, or any other entity that governs
interscholastic athletics or activities from prohibiting a pupil
who transfers to a school from participating in interscholastic
athletics or activities at that school. The bill failed passage
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in the Assembly Education Committee.
SB 1411 (Ortiz) from 2006 would have allowed students to
transfer between high schools and retain varsity athletic
eligibility in sports in which the student competed during the
previous year. The bill failed passage in the Senate Education
Committee.
SB 562 (Torlakson) Ch. 301, Statutes of 2005, extended the
sunset provisions relating to the California Interscholastic
Federation from January 1, 2007 to January 1, 2012. Specified
certain reporting requirements and extended, indefinitely,
provisions granting authority to the California Department of
Education (CDE) to supervise physical education courses.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file.
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Chelsea Kelley / ED. / (916) 319-2087