4142499 Resolution 19-771, “State Athletic Activities, Programs, and Office Revenue Generation and Sponsorship Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2012”

A RESOLUTION

19-771

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

December 18, 2012

 

To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to authorize the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to solicit sponsorships from individuals or organizations to generate revenue for state athletic programs and activities in exchange for advertisements in agency publications, on the website, or in public at state athletic events.

 

 

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “State Athletic Activities, Programs, and Office Revenue Generation and Sponsorship Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2012”.

 

Sec. 2. (a)  Throughout the school year, District educational institutions conduct extracurricular activities to enrich the lives of our young people.  Ongoing fiscal challenges throughout the District government often prevent beneficial programs and events from achieving their potential due to a lack of funding.  The District benefits from having numerous residents and corporate citizens who are willing to support the city’s youth by funding  shortfalls in these critical programs, particularly in an athletic context. 

(b) Due to longstanding restrictions against commercial advertising involving District property, sponsorships may not be solicited or accepted as a donation absent specific legislative authority. 

(c)  There is precedent for this type of public-private partnership initiative.  In 2011, the Council approved a sponsorship for the District’s premier high school football game, the Turkey Bowl.  In the Department of Parks and Recreation Revenue Generation Amendment Act of 2011, effective September 14, 2011 (D.C. Law 9-21; 58 DCR 6628), the Council authorized the Department of Parks and Recreation (“DPR”) to contract for advertisements and sponsorships for facilities within the DPR inventory.

(d)  The proposed legislation would permit the District of Columbia State Athletic Association (“DCSAA”) to solicit and accept sponsorships to be used to enhance the development of state interscholastic athletic programs and competitions, and supplement the operations budget of the DCSAA.   Sponsorship funds would be deposited into a newly established State Athletic Activities, Programs and Office Fund (“Fund”).  The Statewide Director of Athletics will prioritize resources from the Fund to ensure well-designed and effective interscholastic athletic programs and competitions throughout the District of Columbia.

(e) The Fund will be used for the financial support of state athletic programs and competitions, including for championship events, equipment, memorabilia, training, security, awards, and related operations, to ensure well-designed and effective state athletic programs and events that comply with the standards of the National Federation of State High School Associations standards and with District of Columbia laws and regulations.

(f) Only advertisements would be agreed to in exchange for corporate goods, services, or currency.  There would be no limit of the value of goods, services, or currency that may be received from a foreign organization registered or not outside of the District of Columbia or an individual domiciled outside of the District of Columbia.  A $1,000 limit shall be imposed on the value of goods, services, and currency that may be received during one school year from a domestic organization registered or not within the District of Columbia or from an individual domiciled in the District of Columbia.

(g) Authorizing the solicitation of sponsorships will allow the District to immediately accept resources to benefit District students for the remainder of the 2012-2013 school year.

 

            Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the State Athletic Activities, Programs, and Office Revenue Generation and Sponsorship Emergency Act of 2012 be adopted after a single reading.

 

            Sec. 4.  This resolution shall take effect immediately.