Gov. Kay Ivey speaks out about AHSAA lawsuit

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WHNT) — Whether it’s in the courts or in the legislature, leaders are vowing to crack down on the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s influence on student athletes’ ability to play sports.

This comes after Governor Kay Ivey and House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter sued the AHSAA, prompting a judge to issue a restraining order against the association.

The AHSAA tried to sideline players for a year who utilized the CHOOSE Act, a school choice tax credit students can use to transfer schools and pay for their education.

Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth urged people to email him ideas about how to reform the AHSAA on social media. In a post, he said, “The AHSAA’s decision to declare itself above the law is a symptom of a much bigger problem- a complete lack of accountability for its actions.”

Gov. Kay Ivey said she will make sure the association follows the law.

“In my opinion, the high school sports association has barked up the wrong tree,” she said. “The CHOOSE Act clearly makes it legal for students who are in the CHOOSE Act program to play sports. So, we’re gonna forward it through the courts and I believe we’re gonna be successful.”

As we’ve reported, the association has said the CHOOSE Act is like other tuition, and any athlete receiving financial aid is ineligible for a year. But Sen. Lance Bell (R-Pell City) said it’s tax dollars that are being used to help children through school choice.

“I’ve never seen a group, it seems like, go out of their way to make so many people mad… I’m hearing from one end of the spectrum to the other,” Bell said. “One end of the spectrum is dissolve them and put it with the Department of Education. The other end is do nothing. So, kind of curious how it goes.”

Rep. Kenyatté Hassell (D-Montgomery) said he was never a fan of the CHOOSE Act. However, Hassell said exemptions can and should be made for recipients.

“You don’t prevent a student from being involved, in the sense he wants to be on the chess club, or in the choir, or anything else that’s extracurricular,” said Rep. Hassell. “But why does the athlete have to be punished because of funding?”