One day after Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt called for the elimination of the state’s high school sports governing body, legislation was publicized that would take that step.
Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt, introduced a bill on Jan. 15 that would create a new entity to replace the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association and end its “unchecked authority over students’ ability to participate in school sports.”
“The OSSAA is governed by a group of unaccountable, out-of-touch bureaucrats who are making money on the backs of Oklahoma children while issuing arbitrary decisions preventing students from participating in school sports,” Murdock said in a news release. “Past attempts to reform the OSSAA have failed, and it has become impossible to reason with its board of directors. It’s clear that the Legislature must start fresh and form a new, more accountable and transparent organization to oversee school sports and other after-school activities.”
Senate Bill 1890 would create the Oklahoma Athletics and Activities Commission to “supervise, regulate and coordinate school sports and other secondary school activities.”
According to the news release, the new commission would be made up of the state superintendent of public instruction, as well as parents, school administrators and athletic directors appointed by the governor, the Senate president pro tempore and House speaker.
SB 1890 must appear before the Senate Education Committee before advancing in the legislature.
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The OSSAA declined to offer further comment, standing by its statement released Monday, Feb. 2, in response to Stitt’s State of the State speech.
“The OSSAA is a member-driven organization governed by the 482 Oklahoma schools that voluntarily choose to join the association,” the statement read. “Every major decision, policy and rule is shaped by these member schools. The OSSAA Board of Directors is composed entirely of elected school leaders – Superintendents, Principals and Athletic Directors – who are chosen by their peers to represent them.”
The new bill from Murdock comes after he co-authored legislation with Rep. Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, in 2025 to ensure school districts can livestream school sporting events by prohibiting the OSSAA from entering into exclusive broadcasting agreements that prevent local schools or broadcasters from airing their teams’ games. It passed with bipartisan support and was signed into law by Stitt in May.
The OSSAA was formed in 1911 and is a private, non-profit organization. Funding is mostly provided by gate admission to state playoff events. The OSSAA is managed by a 15-member board of directors made up of an athletic director, high school principals and school district superintendents.
The 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, particularly referencing a recent case with Glencoe High School basketball players in which the OSSAA ruled four players ineligible for violating its link rule barring student-athletes from transferring to follow a coach to a new school.
A lawsuit was filed and a Payne County judge granted a temporary restraining order allowing the student-athletes to play for Glencoe. The parents and student-athletes along with the OSSAA reached a settlement on Nov. 5. Under the agreement, the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it could not be refiled, and the OSSAA will drop its efforts to prevent the four student-athletes from competing for 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 did everything correctly to transfer schools,” Stitt said in his speech Feb. 2. “And yet, the OSSAA denied them the opportunity to play basketball at their new school.
“Their parents had to hire a lawyer and go to court just so they could play at their new school. That 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 secure our progress with open transfer.”
In 2021, a law was passed allowing open transfer for students across the state provided the district has capacity. It went into effect in July 2022.
OSSAA rules require student-athletes who have established athletic eligiblity at another member school to sit out for one year unless a hardship waiver is applied for and granted.
In 2024, the OSSAA adopted a new policy allowing student-athletes a one-time transfer exception provided they had never transferred schools and met other criteria. There is a July 15 deadline for free transfers leading up to each school year.
Rule 24, known as the linked rule, was added to discourage student-athletes from following a coach and/or trainer to another school. If that rule is broken, the student-athlete can lose eligibility for a year.
OSSAA executive director David Jackson welcomed a conversation with Stitt following the speech.
“While we are disappointed that Governor Stitt did not reach out to learn more about how the OSSAA operates, we welcome the opportunity to visit with him at any time,” Jackson said in a news release. “We would be glad to help him better understand our member-governed structure and the work our schools do collectively to support students across Oklahoma.”
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Jacob Unruh is the deputy sports editor for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jacob? He can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @jacobunruh. Support Jacob’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
