AUGUSTA – State Rep. Kerri Prescott says the Legislature scored a victory for accountability and transparency when the House and Senate passed her bill dealing with interscholastic organizations that regulate school sports. The bill passed June 4, and the governor signed it into law June 9.

LD 1306 was introduced in reaction to a recent controversy involving the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA). Looking for ways to cope with tight school funding, the MPA proposed cuts in school athletics, touching off a firestorm of protest across the state. Most Maine public high schools and some private high schools belong to the MPA, a private organization whose mission is to promote, organize and regulate interscholastic activities in Maine.

Rep. Prescott (R-Topsham), who has been deeply involved in sports at Mt. Ararat High School, said the core of the controversy was MPA’s refusal to open its meetings to the public. “They would only take input from athletic directors and principals,” she said. “When votes are taken, they are private and not available to the public.

“There may be other answers to resolving the budget crisis by allowing schools to find their own solutions,” she added. “Some things being used by schools now include creative scheduling, ride sharing, fewer officials and reduction in sub-varsity games. The savings are real. I believe that decisions made by the individual schools and their conferences would yield savings with more equity than a one-size-fits-all policy imposed on the whole state.”

Rep. Prescott credited Rep. Henry Beck (D-Waterville) for his help in solidifying support for LD 1306 in the House, where it ultimately passed overwhelmingly. “I was so proud to work on this bipartisan legislation with Rep. Prescott,” he said. “Transparency in high school sports is important and relevant to students, their parents, educators and taxpayers. Adding the MPA to the narrow list of organizations subject to public proceedings laws will strengthen their mission and guarantee confidence in their programs, which mean so much to the people of Maine.”

The bill is entitled “An Act to Require Interscholastic Athletic Organizations to Comply with the Public Proceedings Provisions of the Freedom of Access Laws for Certain Meetings.” Under the terms of the legislation, the MPA and similar groups would have to open their meetings to the public whenever they pertain to interscholastic sports. It also stipulates that records and minutes of the meetings are public records. The only meetings exempted are those limited to eligibility rule violations and personnel issues.

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