Section 20-2-316. Athletic association defined; involvement of association in high school athletics

   (a) As used in this Code section, the term "athletic association" means any association of schools or any other similar organization which acts as an organizing, sanctioning, scheduling, or rule-making body for interscholastic athletic events in which public high schools in this state participate.

(b) No high school which receives funding under this article shall participate in, sponsor, or provide coaching staff for interscholastic sports events which are conducted under the authority of, conducted under the rules of, or scheduled by any athletic association unless the charter, bylaws, or other governing documents of such athletic association comply with this Code section. In order to comply with this Code section, such charter, bylaws, or other governing documents shall provide that:

   (1) The athletic association shall comply with the requirements of subsections (a) through (f) of Code Section 20-2-315, as those requirements relate to the athletic association's functions of organizing, sanctioning, scheduling, or rule making for events in which public high schools participate;

   (2) The athletic association shall comply with the requirements of Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50, relating to the inspection of public records, and Chapter 14 of Title 50, relating to open and public meetings, to the extent that such records and meetings relate to the athletic association's activities with respect to public high schools; provided, however, that such athletic association shall not be required to comply with such statutes or to conduct open and public meetings or provide inspection of records where the sole subject of such meeting or record pertains to the academic records or performance of an individual student or the eligibility of an individual student to participate or to continue to participate in sponsored events or contests based on academics; provided, further, however, that where a meeting or record of such association is devoted in part to matters excepted in the preceding proviso, any portion of the meeting or record not subject to such exception shall be open to the public; and

   (3) The athletic association shall, no later than October 1, 2003, and every year thereafter, submit a report to the General Assembly regarding its compliance with paragraph (1) of this subsection. Such report shall address the number, type, and disposition of written requests for the association to organize and administer regional or state events for additional or different sports; written requests for information regarding the types of athletic events for public high school students that the association organizes and administers; and written inquiries and complaints received by the association with respect to gender discrimination in connection with public high school events. The report shall address all such written requests, inquiries, and complaints, regardless of whether such request, inquiry, or complaint is made by letter, e-mail, memorandum, or any other form of written communication. Each report shall cover the time period beginning on July 1 of the previous year and ending on June 30 of the year in which the report is due. The initial report due on October 1, 2003, shall cover the time periods of July 1, 2000, through June 30, 2001; July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2002; and July 1, 2002, through June 30, 2003. In addition, the athletic association shall have in effect a policy requiring notification to persons who make such requests, inquiries, or complaints verbally that such request, inquiry, or complaint will not be included in the association's reporting to the General Assembly regarding compliance with this Code section unless such request, inquiry, or complaint is made in writing.

Code 1981, § 20-2-316, enacted by Ga. L. 2000, p. 1129, § 2.