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Football Officiating => Texas Topics => Topic started by: TXMike on April 10, 2013, 02:22:29 PM
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Just came across this piece of legislation that was filed in this session in the Texas House
83R7501 PAM-F
By: Thompson of Brazoria H.B. No. 1775
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authority of the University Interscholastic League regarding activities involving sports officials.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 33, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 33.085 to read as follows:
Sec. 33.085. AUTHORITY OF UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE REGARDING ACTIVITIES INVOLVING SPORTS OFFICIALS. (a) In this section, "sports official":
(1) means a person who officiates, judges, or in any manner enforces contest rules in any official capacity with respect to an interscholastic, intercollegiate, or other organized amateur or professional athletic competition; and
(2) includes a referee, umpire, linesman, side judge, track or field marshal, timekeeper, down marker, or scorekeeper or any other person similarly involved in supervising competitive play.
(b) The University Interscholastic League may not register, charge fees to, or require membership in or attempt to register, charge fees to, or require membership in any sponsoring organization of sports officials as a precondition for a sports official to contract with a school district or open-enrollment charter school.
(c) The University Interscholastic League may not sponsor or organize or attempt to sponsor or organize any organization of sports officials.
(d) The University Interscholastic League may not influence or attempt to influence the selection of a sports official by a school district or open-enrollment charter school.
(e) The University Interscholastic League may set rates or fee schedules payable by a school district or open-enrollment charter school to a sports official.
(f) Before the University Interscholastic League takes any action that relates to the activities of a sports official, the league must submit the proposed action to the interscholastic league advisory council for review and comment.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
Sounds to me like "Heads I win; tails you lose." ;)
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Ed--- Let me know when your next fundraising event is...Thanks
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What does this do for basketball, softball and others who were too weak to hold UIL off?
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Hypothetitically, it would seem they would have to either find another central organizing body, or create one of their own. I really doubt this legislation has much chance of going anywhere. They would have a good argument that since they do manage most of the officials in those sports now, at a minimum they should be allowed to continue. Not sure what motivated this since it seems we are working together better than we have in a long time. UIL has bigger battles in this legislative session than us (i.e. home schoolers and private schools being forced upon UIL, putting UIL under a sunset review, etc)
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It would have an excellent chance of passing if everyone would mobilize their chapter and have them contact their state rep. 3-5K phone calls and emails vs. no real public opposition could mean passage. This bill likely ends up as an amendment to something else, however.
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As I was driving to work this morning, the local news had a story about the registration of sports officials by our state governing body. Seems this bill has passed one section of our legislature and is waiting for full passage and a governor's signature. Here is a link to the bill analysis:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Search/DocViewer.aspx?K2DocKey=odbc%3a%2f%2fTLO%2fTLO.dbo.vwCurrBillDocs%2f83%2fR%2fH%2fB%2f01775%2f3%2fA%40TloCurrBillDocs&QueryText=1775&HighlightType=1
It might be a good idea to contact your chapter leadership and ask them to get more information. I wonder if our TASO board has heard about this, especially the football section? deadhorse:
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Rest assured the leadership is well aware of this bill. As you will recall, this was attempted in the past and did not make it through. Seems to have made it a bit further this time.
Looks like it changed a bit from when it was initially submitted: http://www.refstripes.com/forum/index.php?topic=10000.0
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Looks like it is destined to be passed. It blasted out of the Senate committe with no opposition and has been scheduled for the "local and uncontested calendar" which I believe means there is no known opposition to the legislation and it will be routinely approved and sent on to the Guvnah. Probably not something that is what many had hoped for but really does seem to consider both our and the UIL's legitimate right to certain aspects of what we do. Best part is this will probably end the lawsuit and therefore end our legal expenses
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Wonder what this will consist of?
"have completed initial and continuing education programs regarding UIL rules;"
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My guess would be something like COPE plus the normal UIL exceptions
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^flag
Mike: I'm taking it that if this legislation passes and comes to fruition, that Manor Road will, indeed, get it's "background checks" of officials, but will also be effectively taken out of the officiating procurement, training and selection business.
I really think that we could all live with that, greatly provided that I had some assurances that the tiphat: Good UIL Dr. would be announcing his retirement soon, unless of course, that he plans on staying incumbent until he reaches 90 or so, by simply transforming Manor Road into a home for the aged! z^
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^flag
Mike: I'm taking it that if this legislation passes and comes to fruition, that Manor Road will, indeed, get it's "background checks" of officials, but will also be effectively taken out of the officiating procurement, training and selection business.
I really think that we could all live with that, greatly provided that I had some assurances that the tiphat: Good UIL Dr. would be announcing his retirement soon, unless of course, that he plans on staying incumbent until he reaches 90 or so, by simply transforming Manor Road into a home for the aged! z^
While it seems to give UIL background checks, and does indeed keep them out of "organizing" chapters -- it allows the UIL to issue discipline. This is very disturbing. We will now be subject to being "hauled to Austin" to answer for calls / non calls / rules interpretations, etc. Although it says they will look to local chapters for discipline decisions, it also says they are not bound by those decisions.
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While the discipline issue definitely can give you some reason for concern, I suspect the reality is that is going to be reserved for truly outrageous cases, and I would suspect if a local Chapter or the state association had something that bad to deal with, they would take appropriate action. There really would not be anything for UIL to deal with. They have had basketball and some other sport chapters for awhile. Has anyone heard of them behaving inappropriately in the discipline process up to now? I trust all of our chapters and the state to take care of business so UIL does not need to.
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While the discipline issue definitely can give you some reason for concern, I suspect the reality is that is going to be reserved for truly outrageous cases, and I would suspect if a local Chapter or the state association had something that bad to deal with, they would take appropriate action. There really would not be anything for UIL to deal with. They have had basketball and some other sport chapters for awhile. Has anyone heard of them behaving inappropriately in the discipline process up to now? I trust all of our chapters and the state to take care of business so UIL does not need to.
Probably -- but I just don't want state employees in our business. I'm can agree that registering to run background checks is probably a good thing -- but I do not want to have to answer to a state employee for a penalty enforcement, rule interpretation or similar issues.
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I don't get it. Professionals in a wide range of occupations "answer to State employees" all the time for various issues related to their occupation. Far as I know we are not living in Oceania, yet anyway. What is going to happen? Do you seriously think some adverse action would be taken against you because you ruled a pass incomplete when video indicated it was complete?
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The legislation has changed since it was posted here. The bill coming out of Senate Committee and going to the floor for vote allows UIL to charge, at this time, undetermined fees for registration and required training. I'm not sure where our TASO leadership has been through this process. I guess they got lulled into complacency by testifying for this bill in the House and didn't follow it when it got to the Senate.
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You would be assuming wrong. The editing was done BEFORE it went to the Senate. They knew what the edits were and obviously determined they did not hurt the bill enough to warrant getting it stopped. The bill was submitted by a Rep who is TASO-friendly. If he or TASO thought it was no longer TASO- friendly it would have been killed immediately.
Everyone needs to calm down and not overreact. UIL has ALWAYS had a role in what we do. That is not new. There are protections built in to ensure we (TASO) remain the major force in organizing and training sports officials.
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It would certainly be nice if the TASO Board could find time to update their members. If there is nothing to worry about, what control is TASO going to have over the UIL to prevent them from charging officials a registration fee? I guess if they do charge a fee we can deduct that amount from our TASO DUES. TASO needs to come out of the cloak and dagger mode and do a better job of keeping its members informed.
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They will be charging a fee but the fee can only cover the costs of running the background checks and all of the costs have to be made public so we know what the true cost is. You were going to have to pay that whether TASO did these or UIL did these. (And they WERE going to be done.)
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Fee or no fee, this bill when signed into law seems to get the UIL directly out of the sports officiating business. That is a big win and it maintains an independence for TASO that few, if any states can match.
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Bill passed the Senate yesterday. It goes to to guvnah now. He can sign, veto or do nothing. If he does nothing within 10 days, it becomes law. If he vetoes it goes back. The law takes effect immediately after guvnah's signature or refusal to act if it passed the House and Senate by 2/3 majority. If it just passed with a simple majority then it would take effect Sep 1, 2013. I do not know what the votes were yet as not published in the legislative history.
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It seems this would affectively make the lawsuit moot.
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^good
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Read in the paper this morning some state senator is proposing an investigation into the UIL to begin in 2014 I believe it said.
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I think what they are referring to is the "Sunset Review". Many state agencies are subject to sunset reviews periodically to determine if they should still exist. Until now, the UIL was not on that list. Now they are thanks to some legislation passed this session. This action stems from a long-standing feud between a state legislator and the UIL over allowing private schools into the League.
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While I don't always agree with the UIL, they are really not a poorly run organization. Compare them to some other states and you will see what I mean. With that said, I would prefer our elected state officials keep their noses out of UIL business for the most part. Yes, I want this legislation to pass, but I sure don't want some wingnuts putting their off-the-wall extreme ideas into how the UIL is run.
Things at the UIL really have not been bad at all over the years. Only since Dr. B has taken over have things appeared to run off the tracks a bit.
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I think what they are referring to is the "Sunset Review". Many state agencies are subject to sunset reviews periodically to determine if they should still exist. Until now, the UIL was not on that list. Now they are thanks to some legislation passed this session. This action stems from a long-standing feud between a state legislator and the UIL over allowing private schools into the League.
This is exactly what I mean. Leave them alone.
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I have been informed via the basketball chapter that the UIL is creating some, "back door" organization and will still manage the basketball officiating organizations. They are still trying to solicit dues for next year and they are fully aware that this bill is destined to take effect.
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I have been informed via the basketball chapter that the UIL is creating some, "back door" organization and will still manage the basketball officiating organizations. They are still trying to solicit dues for next year and they are fully aware that this bill is destined to take effect.
^flag
Evidently, tiphat: Manor Road's resident "Good-Time Charlie" ain't exactly having himself that after Representative Thompson's Bill passed virtually uncontested through the House and the Senate, and now sits on Ol' Guv Goodhair's desk, awaiting his signature!
And bless his pointed little heart, the tiphat: Good UIL Dr. must have had some premonition of that, because they went and made the UIL basketball folks change their organization's name.
tiphat: Dr. Charlie had best be concerned with finding himself a sponsor to pay for all of the TASO officials background checks that he so covets, instead of attempting to charge statewide officials with a " UIL registration fee," which I understand that under the terms of the bill, would now be prohibited.
That, and a wayward circus, where he can fastly abandon his now, non-functional, cRaZy Dancing Monkey/Director of Officials!
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They are going to be allowed to charge a registration fee that covers the cost of setting up the statewide directory and doing the background checks. That is in the bill.
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I hope the UIL stays around so we still get emoticons from arbitrator during his post tiphat: LOL aWaRd nAnA
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UIL will still be there. The schools need UIL or something just like them. We as officials do not need them except to interact with the schools. We have our organization for training and registration.
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They are going to be allowed to charge a registration fee that covers the cost of setting up the statewide directory and doing the background checks. That is in the bill.
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I read Rep. Thompson's Bill and I effectively stand corrected! Think that I'd greatly prefer to send my payment for my background check over to :bOW tiphat: Manor Road cRaZy in small copper coins! z^
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I have been informed via the basketball chapter that the UIL is creating some, "back door" organization and will still manage the basketball officiating organizations. They are still trying to solicit dues for next year and they are fully aware that this bill is destined to take effect.
I think we should change our name.
TASOWBB....TASO without basketball. they started all this crap!
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Sorry, but had football supported Basketball (and later Baseball)'s legit complaints way back when, we wouldn't be in this mess to start with. For the most part, many TASO football members making $100 plus for varsity games didn't see a problem with UIL pay scales because they were getting their's. Meanwhile, the scales didn't work as well for basketball and didn't work AT ALL for baseball. Then, the football division had some heavy hitters that were in some plumb positions due to a former ED that should never have been in that position in the first place and surely should have been removed when the basketball reps made a good case for removal.
Sorry for the rant -- and I know we've been over this before -- but even as a football member myself, I can't let pass the notion that the TASO football division didn't play a huge part in getting us in to this mess.
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So, the Gov signed it last Friday.
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If it was signed into law, what is the status of the lawsuit?
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In the process of being dismissed.