For Immediate Release Thursday, April 4, 2013 Contact: Sarah Bascom, sarah@bascomllc.com, 850.294.6636 Celina Parker, celina@bascomllc.com, 850.443.

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Coalition Commends Passage of Legislation to Establish Rights & Due Process for Student Athletes
House Bill 1279 by Representative Metz Passes Second Committee of Reference Tallahassee, Fla. The Access for Student Athletes Coalition, an initiative launched by Floridians for Government Accountability, Inc., today commended members of the House Education Appropriations Subcommittee for the passage of House Bill 1279, sponsored by Representative Larry Metz (RYalaha). The proposal addresses the many concerns regarding the overreach and arbitrary scope of authority displayed by FHSAA representatives when conducting investigations on student eligibility to participate in local-area public school athletic programs. The proposal seeks to put student rights above the FHSAAs power and establish true due process for student athletes during their limited window of eligibility. The major thrust of the bill is to put students first by presuming their eligibility and strengthening due process when it is challenged, instead of forcing them to defend themselves against sometimes unsubstantiated allegations and aggressive investigations by an organization that is all too quick to presume that they are cheating, said Representative Metz. The playing field needs to be more level. People are quick to assume that the FHSAA is under attack by this proposal, and pay no attention to the fact that these changes have been prompted by concerned parents and victimized students, said Jim Hart, chairman of Floridians for Government Accountability, Inc. For years, parents across the state have claimed that the FHSAA is prejudiced against the children they investigate, and that they have a predisposition that a child is guilty of wrongdoing. Its time we support the Florida Legislature in their attempt to right this terrible wrong and further protect the rights of student athletes. The legislation, as filed by Representative Metz, would make necessary changes to protect parent and student rights when it comes to athletic participation at local public schools. The legislation would establish, and significantly expedite, due process during investigations conducted by the FHSAA and end the predisposition of FHSAA investigators to quickly assume that actions by student athletes are in furtherance of cross-school recruiting. The legislation would require the FHSAA to provide for investigation expenses, require the FHSAA to demonstrate convincing evidence of a students

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ACCESS FOR STUDENT ATHLETES COALITION PAGE 2 violation, as well as require an independent, administrative law judge to issue the final order on whether or not a student remains eligible. This important and good proposal will serve to clarify that the FHSAA may conduct legitimate investigations without prejudice and without intimidation tactics, said Hart. For more information on the Access for Student Athletes Coalition, please visit http://bit.ly/ZKdCOg or Like us on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/WTNJfX. ### Floridians for Government Accountability, Inc. is a corporation formed to educate the public and provide information on issues related to fiscal responsibility and accountability in all levels and branches of government.