A proposal that would give Gov. Ron DeSantis power to shape the Florida High School Athletic Association Board of Directors and allow schools to offer pre-game prayers over stadium public-address systems got backing in the Senate.
The Senate Education PreK-12 Committee voted 9-3 along party lines to approve the bill (SB 308).
The measure would revamp oversight of the FHSAA, including shrinking its board from 16 to nine members. DeSantis would get authority to appoint eight of the nine members. The state education commissioner or a designee would serve as the ninth member.
Bill sponsor Jay Collins, R-Tampa, said the bill is intended to provide state 鈥渙versight鈥� of the athletics board.
鈥淚t just makes sure that we as a state have oversight over this board, how it鈥檚 going, and it鈥檚 in the best interest of our students,鈥� Collins said.
Currently, the board is made up of four public-school representatives, four private-school representatives, two district school superintendents, two school board members, three representatives appointed by the state education commissioner and the commissioner or a designated representative, according to the organization鈥檚 website.
Before Monday鈥檚 meeting, Senate Democrats attributed the proposed changes to a recent decision by the FHSAA board to drop questions from a physical-evaluation form about student-athletes鈥� menstrual cycles.
The questions asked about athletes鈥� first menstrual periods, most recent menstrual periods and how many periods the athletes had in the past year.
Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Plantation, said the FHSAA board 鈥渄id the right thing鈥� by dropping the questions.
Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, likened the proposed changes in the FHSAA鈥檚 oversight to 鈥渁uthoritarianism.鈥�
鈥淭he governor, unfortunately, wants to be the governor, wants to be the chief justice, he wants to be the (House) speaker and the Senate president, all at the same time. And I know people hate when we say it, but it is fascist. It is authoritarianism when you鈥檙e looking at these types of things,鈥� Jones told reporters.
The measure also would require the State Board of Education, which is primarily made up of DeSantis appointees, to ratify any proposed changes to the FHSAA鈥檚 bylaws. In addition, the state board would have to approve the hiring of the FHSAA鈥檚 executive director.
A similar House bill (HB 225) would require the state education board to approve the FHSAA鈥檚 budget.
Members of the FHSAA鈥檚 board opposed the proposed Senate changes Monday.
Richard Finlayson, an FHSAA board member who is principal of Aucilla Christian Academy, pointed to potential 鈥渦nintended consequences鈥� of changing the board鈥檚 makeup.
鈥淢y concern is that, representative form of government is a great thing,鈥� Finlayson, who was elected to the FHSAA board by private schools in North Florida, said. 鈥淏eing able to have a voice through those who represent us is a really positive thing. And within this bill, it takes away a voice away from those member schools.鈥�
The bill also would require allowing schools to make 鈥渙pening remarks鈥� of up to two minutes on public-address systems at stadiums and other venues before championship events.
鈥淭he athletic association may not control, monitor or review the content of the opening remarks and may not control the school鈥檚 choice of speaker,鈥� the bill says.
The issue of speech over public-address systems during high-school athletic events is the subject of a long-running lawsuit that stemmed from an incident in 2015 in which Christian schools were barred from saying a prayer over a stadium loudspeaker before a state championship football game. A federal district judge sided with the FHSAA, but Tampa鈥檚 Cambridge Christian School has appealed to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Sen. Lori Berman, D-Delray Beach, cited the part of the bill that would allow pre-game prayers as a reason for voting against the measure.
鈥淎s someone who is not of the majority faith, how will this bill impact students or participants in sporting events of different faiths?鈥� Berman asked Collins.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it does. This isn鈥檛 forcing school prayer, this is allowing comments and remarks. The schools generally speak and discuss those things up front between the schools,鈥� Collins said.
