Should WIAA be subject to open meeting rules?

MADISON (WSAU) The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, which oversees high school sports around the state, would be subject to open meeting laws in a bill being considered by the state legislature.

The W-I-A-A is a private organization, and isn't subject to open meeting rules now. But the bill would ban public schools that are taxpayer funded from being W-I-A-A members if the organization doesn't agree to follow open meetings laws. The change would put dozens of state championship sporting events in jeopardy.

The W-I-A-A says its records should remain private. 90-percent of the group's revenue comes from the state championship events it holds, not from tax-dollars. The group has turned down requests from some state lawmakers who've wanted to review its budget.

More recently the W-I-A-A scrapped a redistricting plan for high school football around the state, which would have impacted travel and athletic costs for school districts around the state.