Bill Text: NJ SCR88 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Directs SCI investigation of the finances and operations of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-06-10 - Substituted by ACR116 [SCR88 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-SCR88-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator STEPHEN M. SWEENEY
District 3 (Salem, Cumberland and Gloucester)
SYNOPSIS
Directs SCI investigation of the finances and operations of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Concurrent Resolution directing the State Commission of Investigation to investigate the finances and operations of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.
Whereas, The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) is a voluntary association which oversees Statewide interscholastic sports programs; and
Whereas, On January 29, 2007, the State enacted N.J.S.A.18A:11-3.1 which prohibits a public school district from joining "any voluntary association which oversees activities associated with Statewide interscholastic sports programs if [...] the association requires increased ticket prices for attendance at playoff games compared to regular season games, unless the playoff game is held at a location other than a public school and the increased ticket prices are deemed necessary by the Commissioner of Education"; and
Whereas, The law took effect on January 29, 2010, and despite having three years to prepare and make any necessary adjustments, the NJSIAA violated the clear intent of the law by charging increased ticket prices for attendance at playoff games held at public schools; and
Whereas, Despite the fact that ticket prices for regular season events averaged $3 for adults and $2 for students and senior citizens, the NJSIAA instructed its member schools hosting post-season tournaments to charge in excess of the regular season ticket prices; and
Whereas, The NJSIAA attempted to justify its illegal increase of ticket prices by interpreting N.J.S.A.18A:11-3.1 to prohibit the association from increasing ticket prices charged at playoff games unless the school district increased ticket prices for regular season games, which interpretation is clearly contrary to the plain language of the law; and
Whereas, It has been alleged that the NJSIAA's recent malfeasance concerning ticket prices is not an isolated event, but rather one example of a systemic pattern of financial and operational abuse; and
Whereas, A 2005 Bergen Record investigative report raised concerns about the NJSIAA's use of taxpayer dollars, including excessive employee salary and benefit packages, and out-of-State travel reimbursement for employees' spouses; and
Whereas, The report also indicated that the NJSIAA offered its member schools fewer benefits than nearly every other interscholastic athletic association in the country, and that the NJSIAA was one of only three associations that refused to return a portion of the revenues raised at playoff and tournament events back to the schools; and
Whereas, Although the NJSIAA has since adopted modest reforms, the association's initial refusal to comply with the provisions of N.J.S.A.18A:11-3.1 reinforces doubts about the integrity of the association's financial transactions and operations; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey (the General Assembly concurring):
1. The State Commission of Investigation shall immediately begin an investigation of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, which shall include a comprehensive audit and thorough examination of the association's financial transactions and operations, to ensure the proper use of taxpayer dollars by the association, and to ensure that the association is operating in accordance with its authorizing legislation and other statutes applicable to the association, and an examination of the fairness and flexibility of the association's bylaws to determine their equitable and appropriate application to schools and student athletes.
2. The State Commission of Investigation shall present its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature no later than 180 days following the effective date of this concurrent resolution.
3. This concurrent resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This concurrent resolution requires the State Commission of Investigation to investigate the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, which will include a comprehensive audit and thorough examination of the association's financial transactions and operations, to ensure the proper use of taxpayer dollars by the association, and to ensure that the association is operating in accordance with its authorizing legislation and other statutes applicable to the association. The investigation will also include an examination of the fairness and flexibility of the association's bylaws to determine their equitable and appropriate application to schools and student athletes. This investigation is necessary because the NJSIAA's initial refusal to comply with the provisions of State law concerning ticket prices at post-season tournaments (N.J.S.A.18A:11-3.1) has raised doubts about the integrity of the association's financial transactions and operations.
