OFFICIALS
Rule 3— Annual Local Association Requirements
Rule 4 – Certification and Requirements of Officials
Rule 5 - Prohibited and Unethical Conduct
Rule 6 - Procedures for Reporting Violations of Rule 5
Rule 8 – State Championship Officiating Criteria
Rule 10 – Reciprocation Formula
Rule 11 — Declining/Trading of Tournament Assignments
Rule 13 — Working Commissioners
State Championship Fee Schedule
OSAA State Championship Reimbursement Policy
Rule Books and Required Uniform
State Championship Contest Assignment Procedures
22. Ejection Policies – Coach Ejected; Contest Forfeited
23. Ejection Policies – Ejected Player or Coach
25. Ejection Policies – Multiple Ejections of Individual
26. Ejection Policies – Physical Contact with Official
37. Fall Sports Practice Model
39. Football – Artificial Limbs
41. 45-Point Rule / Alternative Plan / Running Clock. 22
42. Football – League Playoff Prohibition
51. Lightning Safety Guidelines (Excerpts from “NFHS Sports Medicine Handbook”)
54. Officials – Background Checks
57. Officials – Certified Requirement
58. Officials – Host School Responsibilities
64. Sportsmanship – Criticism of School Representatives or Officials
70. State Championships – Baseball Tiebreaker
75. State Championships – Softball Tiebreaker
82. Tobacco Use By Coaches and Officials
Rules
Rule 1 — Local Constitution
Section 1. Local Association Constitutions are to be formulated and adopted by each individual Local Association to guide local administrators. They shall not supersede or conflict with any provision of these rules, or any other OSAA constitutional provision, rule, article, policy or procedures.
Rule
2 – Charter Requirements
Section 1. A letter of application requesting certification as a chartered Local Association shall be forwarded to the OSAA Executive Director. The letter shall include the following information:
a) The proposed name of the Local Association.
b) A statement why a Local Association should be established in the area.
c) A copy of the Constitution and/or bylaws of the Local Association.
d) A list of officers.
e) A list of possible members
f) A list of proposed schools to be serviced
g) A schedule of study meetings (minimum of six required for each sport.)
h) The current name, address, email address and telephone number of the commissioner.
Section 2. When these requirements are met, the Local Association may be accepted on a one year probationary basis. The probationary period may be extended by the OSAA Executive Director. Final approval for the Local Association will be granted by the Executive Board.
Section 3. Local Associations shall be assigned member schools by the OSAA. Permission to discontinue service to an assigned school must be granted by the OSAA Executive Director.
Section 4. Upon completion of all requirements, the Executive Director may issue a charter to the applicant association.
Rule 3— Annual Local Association
Requirements
Section 1. A Local Association, in order to maintain its charter, shall conduct a minimum number of study meetings or training sessions per sports season. The minimum number of six (6) Local Association study meetings or ten (10) hours of training shall be completed by Football, Soccer and Volleyball Local Associations on or before December 1; by Basketball and Wrestling Local Associations on or before March 1; and by Baseball and Softball Local Associations on or before June 1. Eligibility for maintaining membership as an OSAA certified official shall be dependent upon attendance at either six study meetings or completion of 10 hours of commissioner approved training. Excused absence policies utilized by Local associations shall have approval of the OSAA Executive Director.
Section 2. At the beginning of each season, each Local Association commissioner shall prepare a complete roster, including names, addresses and test scores, of the total membership of the Local Association in the manner and form prescribed by the OSAA office. A copy of the new roster shall be sent to the OSAA office immediately after the first scheduled contest of each sports season. New or transferring members affiliated later shall be recorded and reported to the OSAA.
Section 3. Submit an accurate roster of schools serviced by the Local Association.
Section 4. Submit background check forms for each member of the Local Association.
Section 5. Submit for annual OSAA Executive Director approval the Local Associations’ conflict of interest policy noting any changes from the previous year.
Section 6. At the close of each season each Local Association commissioner shall submit to the OSAA office a list of the Local Association members who have not attended or have not been excused from the study meeting attendance requirements.
Section 7. The Local Association commissioner, immediately following the last scheduled meeting, shall forward to the OSAA office the names of all duly elected officers and the members of the Executive Committee.
Section 8. Certified attendance at an OAOA sponsored clinic and/or the state rules interpretation meeting in baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball, volleyball and wrestling sponsored by the OSAA office shall count as one study meeting toward the season's required total for Local Association members.
Section 9. The Local Association commissioner, when specifically requested by the OSAA office, shall be required to submit a report on any matter of Local Association business or the status of any of its members.
Section 10. Each Local Association commissioner shall submit the complete season's schedule of Local Association meetings to the OSAA office once established.
Section 11. Each Local Association shall pay all officials packet fees and other related fees owed to the OSAA prior to the established deadlines for the sport for which they are responsible. Each month a $25 dollar finance charge will be added to all invoices that are older than 60 days.
Section 12. Each Local Association shall submit the form provided by the OSAA to receive reimbursement for officiating duties performed during the OSAA State Championships. Exceptions to this requirement must be approved the OSAA Executive Director.
Section 13. Failure of a Local Association to meet the requirements outlined in Sections 1 through 12 of this policy may result in denial of allocated play-off assignments for OSAA State Championships.
Rule
4 – Certification and Requirements of Officials
Section 1. INDIVIDUAL: In order to obtain initial certification or maintain certification:
a) The applicant must be at least 18 years of age, except that an applicant under the age of 18 may petition the OSAA Executive Director for special approval.
b) The applicant must become and continue as a member of a Local Association.
c) The applicant must each year score at least 75% on the National Federation Rules Examination for the sport concerned. This shall be a supervised examination or on-line exam. Local Associations may choose open book, closed book, or on-line examinations. The exam may be administered again in order to meet this requirement (Maximum of 3 exams). If the applicant does not pass the examination, the applicant will be classified as a non-varsity official until he/she takes the next supervised examination in that sport.
d) BACKGROUND CHECK--All persons who wish to officiate must, prior to officiating any contest, submit to a criminal conviction history screening that will determine any previous convictions involving the use, possession, or sale of a controlled substance within the last ten years; a crime involving the use or threatened use of violence against a person within the last ten years; or a crime involving a minor child at any time. Any previous convictions meeting the above criteria shall result in the denial of certification. The cost of this background check will be included in the cost of certification for the official. The applicant must also meet any other requirements established by the Executive Boards of the OSAA or OAOA, and the Local Association.
e) Annual certification fees for individual members shall be payable to the OSAA office through the Local Association. This fee shall include an Oregon Athletic Officials Association membership, background check, rules publications, official’s patches and NFHS Officials Association membership.
f) The members of all Local Associations shall abide by the OSAA Constitution, Rules, Board Policies, and Board interpretations (collectively, the OSAA Regulations) which, by their terms, govern the conduct of officials, and shall abide by all OAOA rules and regulations.
g) All new rules and subsequent changes to the OSAA Regulations shall be binding upon all Local Associations the season following their adoption by the Executive Board of the OSAA
h) Certification procedures are outlined in Appendix B.
i) First year officials shall complete within their first three years of officiating, a course or clinic approved by the OAOA Executive Board on basic principles of officiating. This requirement does not apply to officials certified by the OSAA in 2005-06 or prior; or any transfer official previously licensed or certified by a State High School governing body.
j) All previously certified officials in a sport shall continue to be certified until the final deadline for the supervised examinations for that season in that sport unless the official is dropped for non-attendance or for another reason or certification is suspended or revoked by the Local Association or the OSAA Executive Board.
Section 2. FAILURE TO PASS TEST--Any official certified the previous year who does not pass the current year's supervised examination by the final deadline or who fails it three times, shall be dropped immediately and will not be eligible to work any contests until he/she passes the supervised examination the following season.
Section 3. DENIAL, SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF CERTIFICATION --The Local Association or the OSAA Executive Director may suspend or revoke the certification of any official in the event the Local Association or Executive Director becomes aware that the official does not meet the requirements for certification. If certification is suspended or revoked the official or commissioner may appeal the decision to the OSAA Executive Board for consideration of reinstatement.
Section 4. ADDITIONAL QUALIFICIATIONS--Local Associations may adopt such additional qualifications for membership as they deem appropriate, provided that they are no less stringent than those contained herein.
Section 5. All officials shall abide by the rule books and required uniform as outlined in Appendix C.
Section 6. All officials and schools shall abide by the requirements outlined in Appendix D and E.
Section 7. Officials, when required by the OSAA office, shall submit a written report of his/her official conduct in any contest in which he/she participated as a contest official.
Rule
5 - Prohibited and Unethical Conduct
Section 1. Prohibited Conduct – An individual official or commissioner is prohibited from engaging in the following conduct:
a) Use tobacco products, drugs, and/or alcoholic beverages, or be under the influence of drug and/or alcoholic beverages at an interscholastic facility.
b) Engage in unsportsmanlike conduct at an interscholastic event. “Unsportsmanlike conduct" includes, but is not limited to, unwarranted physical contact, profane language, and/or taunting. Unwarranted physical contact initiated by an official toward a coach/player shall be considered a gross act of unsportsmanlike conduct.
c) Make a bet or take a bribe in connection with an interscholastic event.
d) Having been convicted of:
i. a felony involving the use, possession or sale of a controlled substance within the last 10 years. The 10-year period of ineligibility to officiate shall commence from the date of suspension from officiating duties or from the date of conviction- whichever occurred first; or
ii. a crime involving the use or threatened use of violence against a person within the last 10 years. The 10-year period of ineligibility to officiate shall commence from the date of suspension from officiating duties or from the date of conviction- whichever occurred first; or
iii. a crime involving a minor child at any time.
e) Engaging in any action which, within the discretion of the Local Association or the OSAA Executive Board, gives rise to a concern for the safety of children due to the official’s conduct, indicates that the official cannot objectively perform the official’s duties, or otherwise is inconsistent with the OSAA’s responsibilities to its member schools, the student participants or the parents of the participants.
f) Appearance before the Executive Board - The Executive Director may require the official or commissioner to appear before the OSAA Executive Board and show cause why the official or commissioner should not be subject to sanctions under OSAA Rule 5-6 for such conduct.
Section 2. It shall be unethical conduct when any INDIVIDUAL OFFICIAL:
a) Accepts any Oregon high school assignment without the approval and consent of his/her Local Association.
b) Does not comply with the regulations adopted by the OSAA Executive Board.
Section 3. Upon a ruling that an official or commissioner has violated a Regulation or engaged in Prohibited Conduct, the Local Association may, in its sole discretion, impose on the official or commissioner, any of the penalties set forth in Rule 5-6 (Probation, Suspension, and Revocation) of the OSAA Rules.
Section 4. The Executive Director may require the official or commissioner to appear before the OSAA Executive Board and show cause why the official or commissioner should not be subject to additional sanctions under OSAA Rule 5-6 for such conduct.
Rule
6 - Procedures for Reporting Violations of Rule 5
Section 1. A complaint (referred to as “protest” in OSAA Rule 4) against an official or commissioner for violation of the Prohibited Conduct Rule set forth in AOH Rule 5 above or the OSAA Regulations (other than contest rule interpretations and judgment calls, which may not be appealed) shall be filed with the OSAA Executive Director or with the Local Association.
Section 2. If a complaint (referred to as “protest” in OSAA Rule 4) is filed with a Local Association, that local commissioner shall immediately notify the OSAA Executive Director.
Section 3. If the complaint (referred to as “protest” in OSAA Rule 4) is filed with the OSAA, the Executive Director shall refer the complaint to the Local Association for determination of penalty.
Section 4. The Local Association’s decision may be appealed to the OSAA Executive Board as set forth in Rule 4-3 of the OSAA Rules.
Rule
7 – Commissioners
Section 1. The Commissioner shall be selected by a majority vote of the individual Local Association with majority approval of the schools serviced by the Local Association. The term shall be three years and the commissioner may succeed himself/herself. The Commissioner shall receive remuneration for his/her services as established by OSAA. Local Associations may supplement this remuneration at their discretion.
Section 2. The Commissioner shall make all contest assignments and be responsible for the supervision of officials in his/her Local Association. The superintendent, assistant superintendent or high school principal has the authority to approve the selection of officials for all festivals, meets, contests and tournaments. State tournament and play-off officials' selections shall be made by the commissioner or Local Association with input from the schools
Section 3. The Commissioner may be removed from office at any time by a two-thirds vote of the local association or two-thirds vote of the schools serviced.
Section 4. Commissioners may only officiate in emergency situations as outlined in Rule 13.
Section 5. It shall be considered unethical conduct when any COMMISSIONER:
a) Agrees to make assignments for a school normally serviced by another Local Association without first securing written permission from the other Local Association.
b) Does not comply with the regulations adopted by the OSAA Executive Board.