Bill Text: CA SB486 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Interscholastic athletics: California Interscholastic Federation: state football championships: neutral locations.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Vetoed) 2024-01-25 - Veto sustained. [SB486 Detail]
Download: California-2023-SB486-Enrolled.html
|
Enrolled
September 14, 2023 |
|
Passed
IN
Senate
September 12, 2023 |
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Passed
IN
Assembly
September 07, 2023 |
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Amended
IN
Assembly
August 14, 2023 |
|
Amended
IN
Assembly
June 05, 2023 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 486
| Introduced by Senator Hurtado |
February 14, 2023 |
An act to add Section 33353.8 to the Education Code, relating to interscholastic athletics.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 486, Hurtado.
Interscholastic athletics: California Interscholastic Federation: state football championships: neutral locations.
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.
This bill would require the California Interscholastic Federation to hold all state football championship games at a neutral location, as defined, that is comparable to the location of all other championship games, except as provided.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) is a voluntary organization whose mission includes promoting equity, quality, character, and academic development. Part of the CIF’s mission is to provide equal opportunity without regard to race, gender, and ethnicity within all aspects of the athletic program for students, personnel, schools, and governance.
(b) Each year, approximately 30 high school football teams across 15 divisions play in a state football championship game at the end of the football season. The site
of these CIF state football championship games varies depending on the division.
(c) Approximately 5 of those 15 games are held at neutral locations across the state at college stadiums, and are typically reserved for the 5 highest divisions. The remaining 10 games are generally held at the home field of the higher seeded team. The higher seeded team with home field advantage is responsible for providing the field and other facilities for the game, as well as organizing the event. As such, the higher seeded team gets an advantage and generally draws a larger fan base.
(d) The CIF section commissioners decide where these championship games are held. The commissioners take into consideration different factors such as the facilities, the security and safety of the venues, and the
travel costs for the teams and their fans.
(e) As is evidenced by the 2022 state championship venue selections, the CIF treats rural and small divisions differently and has been historically inequitable. Those schools that play in lower divisions will never get the chance to play a championship game at a college stadium. Instead, they are forced to play at their own field, or a field of a similarly situated high school, where lower quality facilities that pose safety risks to football players are prevalent.
(f) In this state, there are still disparities in the quality and availability of sports facilities between high-income and low-income schools. For example, high-income schools may have access to better quality sports fields, modern gymnasiums, and state-of-the-art
athletic equipment, while low-income schools may have limited or inadequate sports facilities that negatively impact student athletic experiences and opportunities.
(g) By requiring state football championship games to be held at neutral locations, all teams will get a fair and equal playing experience. This would also ensure that the games are decided based on the skill and performance of the teams, rather than the location of the game.
(h) Additionally, holding all championship games at a neutral location, such as a college stadium, would allow for larger crowds for both teams and can have positive implications for the safety of high school football players.
(i) College stadiums, for example, typically have better medical
facilities on site, and have advanced field systems that can reduce the risk of injuries.
(j) All teams that make it to a state championship game, regardless of their size or division, should be provided an opportunity to play on the same type of field and in the same type of atmosphere as all other teams.
SEC. 2.
Section 33353.8 is added to the Education Code, to read:33353.8.
(a) The California Interscholastic Federation shall hold all state football championship games at a neutral location that is comparable to the location of all other championship games, except in situations that are outside of the control of the California Interscholastic Federation, including, but not limited to, any of the following:(1) Strikes or other labor matters.
(2) Destruction of, or damage to, a football facility or building.
(3) Natural disasters.
(4) Epidemics.
(5) Accidents.
(6) Riots.
(7) A regulation, rule, law, ordinance, or order of a federal, state, or local government authority.
(8) A football facility contract being canceled by the facility without reasonable time to contract with another facility.
(b) For purposes of this section, a “neutral location” means a venue or site that is not the home ground of either team.
