HJ0047 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0047 LRB094 11997 NHT 45024 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) is a de facto monopoly on athletic competition for Illinois high school students; and

WHEREAS, There is realistically no other outlet or opportunity for student athletes to meaningfully compete in high school sports besides through the IHSA; and

WHEREAS, The IHSA has demonstrated a lack of respect for or understanding of private, non-boundaried high schools and the families who choose such schools; and

WHEREAS, Parents of private high school students are as financially supportive of public schools as parents of public school students through the payment of State taxes; and

WHEREAS, The IHSA has failed to uphold standards that promote the equitable treatment of students and schools; and

WHEREAS, Recent action taken by the IHSA Board of Directors will divide the students of Illinois by public and private school affiliations; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is established the Illinois High School Athletics Task Force for the purpose of studying the feasibility of forming a high school athletics association other than the Illinois High School Association; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall consist of the following members: 2 members of the House of Representatives, or their designees, appointed by the Speaker of the House, one of whom shall serve as co-chairperson of the Task Force; 2 members of the House of Representatives, or their designees, appointed by the Minority Leader of the House, one of whom shall serve as co-spokesman of the Task Force; 2 members of the Senate, or their designees, appointed by the President of the Senate, one of whom shall serve as co-chairperson of the Task Force; 2 members of the Senate, or their designees, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one of whom shall serve as co-spokesman of the Task Force; 2 members of the public, one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House and one of whom shall be appointed by the President of the Senate; one member appointed by an association that represents school boards; one member appointed by an association that represents school administrators; one member appointed by an organization that represents high school athletic directors and coaches; and one member appointed by an organization representing the greatest number of private high schools in the State; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois High School Athletics Task Force shall report its findings to the General Assembly by filing copies of its report with the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate on or before January 1, 2006, and that upon filing its report the Task Force is dissolved.