SCHOOLS CANNOT JOIN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

OR ASSOCIATION THAT RESTRICTS TRAVEL

House Bill 5244

Sponsor:  Rep. Bert Johnson

Committee:  Education

Complete to 4-28-08

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5244 AS INTRODUCED 9-19-07

House Bill 5244 would amend the Revised School Code to require the board of a school district or a charter school to ensure that the district (or a school within the district) is not a member of an athletic conference or of a statewide interscholastic athletic association, and does not compete in events sponsored by that conference or association, if that conference or association has a policy, bylaw, rule, or regulation that limits the distance that an athletic team may travel to participate in a game, meet, match, contest, or competition.  

MCL 380.1290

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill would have no fiscal impact on the state and is unlikely to have a fiscal impact on local school districts or public school academies.  There may be transition costs if despite a change in statute, athletic conferences and associations did not change their rules allowing further travel, thus forcing districts to change the conference or association with which they participate.  If conference/association travel rules were changed, districts might choose to participate in athletic events which require longer travel and therefore could create additional but voluntary travel costs for a district.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Mary Ann Cleary

                                                                                                                           Bethany Wicksall

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.