Legislation to take that step was unveiled a day after Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt called for the elimination of the state’s governing body for high school sports.
Felt Sen. Casey Murdock introduced a bill on Jan. 15 that would create a new entity to replace the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association and end its “unlimited authority over students’ ability to participate in school athletics.”
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“The OSSAA is run by a group of unaccountable, out-of-touch bureaucrats who make money off Oklahoma children while making arbitrary decisions that prevent students from participating in school sports,” Murdock said in a release. “Past attempts to reform the OSSAA have failed and cannot be reasoned with with its board of directors. It is clear that the Legislature must start over and form a new, more accountable, and transparent organization to oversee school sports and other extracurricular activities.”
Senate Bill 1890 would establish the Oklahoma Athletic and Activities Commission to “supervise, regulate and coordinate school athletics and other secondary school activities.”
The new committee will be composed of parents, school administrators and athletic directors appointed by the state Superintendent of Public Instruction, the governor, Senate President Pro Tempore and House Speaker, according to the release.
SB 1890 must go to the Senate Education Committee for consideration before it can reach the Legislature.
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More: Governor Stitt calls for elimination of Oklahoma high school sports governing body OSSAA
Senator Kathy Murdoch, Asst. The Majority Whip responds to Senator Shane Jett after the Senate voted to overturn HB 2769 during the Oklahoma Legislature’s final push at the Capitol, Thursday, May 29, 2025.
OSSAA declined further comment, standing by its statement issued on Monday, February 2, in response to Stitt’s State of the Union address.
“OSSAA is a member-driven organization governed by the 482 Oklahoma schools that voluntarily choose to join the association,” the statement reads. “Every major decision, policy and rule is made by these member schools. The OSSAA Board of Directors is composed entirely of elected school leaders – superintendents, principals and athletic directors – who are elected by their peers to represent them.”
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Murdock introduced the new bill after co-authoring 2025 legislation with Clinton Republican Rep. Anthony Moore that would have ensured school districts could live broadcast school sporting events by prohibiting the OSSAA from entering into exclusive broadcast agreements that would prevent local schools or broadcasters from televising their team’s games. The bill passed with bipartisan support and was signed into law by Stitt in May.
OSSAA was founded in 1911 as a private, non-profit organization. Funding is primarily provided by ticket sales to state playoff events. The OSSAA is governed by a 15-member Board of Directors, consisting of an athletic director, high school principal and school district superintendent.
OSSAA is also a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations, the national governing body for high school sports and activities.
In Stitt’s final State of the State address at the Capitol, he focused on the OSSAA and its handling of transfers, specifically mentioning a recent case with Glencoe High School basketball players in which the OSSAA ruled four players ineligible for violating its linkage rule prohibiting transfer student-athletes from following their coaches to a new school.
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A lawsuit was filed and a Payne County judge issued a temporary restraining order allowing the student-athletes to compete for Glencoe. Parents and student-athletes reached a settlement with the OSSAA on Nov. 5. Under the agreement, the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled and the OSSAA will drop its efforts to prevent four student-athletes from competing on the Glencoe basketball team.
After the initial ruling, Stitt encouraged the OSSAA to reconsider its decision.
“Last year, we heard stories of students who followed the rules and took all the right steps to transfer. Yet, the OSSAA denied them the opportunity to play basketball at their new school,” Stitt said in a Feb. 2 speech.
“Their parents have to hire lawyers and go to court so they can play at their new school. This is unacceptable. Your ability to play sports should not depend on your parents’ ability to pay for a lawyer. It’s time to eliminate OSSAA and ensure our progress by making transfers public.”
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In 2021, a law was passed allowing transfer students to be disclosed statewide if school districts are able to do so. The bill takes effect in July 2022.
OSSAA rules require that student-athletes who are already eligible for athletics at another member school must take a year off unless they apply for and receive a hardship waiver.
In 2024, the OSSAA adopted a new policy allowing one-time transfer exceptions for student-athletes, provided they have never transferred and meet other criteria. The deadline for free transfer before each academic year is July 15th.
Rule 24, known as the linking rule, was added to prevent student-athletes from following coaches and/or trainers to another school. If this rule is violated, a student-athlete may lose a year of eligibility.
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OSSAA Executive Director David Jackson welcomed the conversation with Stitt after the speech.
“While we are disappointed that Governor Stitt has not reached out to learn more about how OSSAA operates, we welcome the opportunity to visit with him at any time,” Jackson said in the release. “We are pleased to help him better understand our membership governance structure and the work our schools are doing together to support Oklahoma students.”
More: Governor Stitt last year pushed for these policies when he was governor
Jacob Unruh is The Oklahoman’s deputy sports editor. Have a story idea for Jacob? You can contact him at junruh@oklahoman.com or @jacobunruh on Twitter. Support the work of Jacobs and other Oklahoma journalists by purchasing one Subscribe digitally now at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared in Oklahoma: Oklahoma senators introduce bill to eliminate, replace OSSAA
