Despite operating as a private, not-for-profit organization that receives no tax dollars – the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) acknowledges the Senate’s decision to pass Senate Bill 16, which aims to subject our private membership organization to open records laws.
This legislation advances even though the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that the WIAA is not a government or quasi-government entity. SB 16 imposes burdens typically meant for public offices, and we are concerned this will disrupt our ability to effectively serve our member schools and student-athletes.
While the WIAA remains committed to transparency – with much of our information already available online – this new mandate will inevitably slow down critical decisions regarding eligibility disputes, scheduling, and other operational matters. The WIAA proudly represents 516 member schools and between 70,000-80,000 student-athletes across Wisconsin, and its operations are governed by an elected Board of Control.
We respect the legislative process but maintain our concern about the broader implications of SB 16 and its impact on private, membership-based organizations like ours.