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Lawmakers Call For Transparency From IHSA

  The organization that coordinates Illinois high school sports and activities was under scrutiny Tuesday in Springfield. Lawmakers want the Illinois High School Association to be more transparent, but the not-for-profit group is pushing back.

While Illinois high schools are not required to become IHSA members, the organization does run the major statewide competitions.

Rep. Ken Dunkin (D-Chicago) says he's worried about the de facto requirement to participate in IHSA, since the private organization makes money off its members. He says since most IHSA members are public high schools, the group's money comes from tax dollars, without much state oversight.

"It's a quasi-public entity that feeds, that generates over $11 million every year," he said. "They should have a FOIA. If they're benefiting from public — the contracts we should see, the relationships, absolutely, what's wrong with that?"

But Marty Hickman, IHSA's executive director, says the organization's current level of transparency aligns with other not-for-profits, known as 501(c)(3)s.

"I don't see there's any reason for IHSA specifically to act differently than any other 501(c)(3)," he said."

Asked whether he's against putting IHSA under more direct state jurisdiction, Hickman would not say.

Hannah covers state government and politics for Capitol News Illinois. She's been dedicated to the statehouse beat since interning at NPR Illinois in 2014, with subsequent stops at WILL-AM/FM, Law360, Capitol Fax and The Daily Line before returning to NPR Illinois in 2020 and moving to CNI in 2023.
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