Lynn C. Woolsey: “the Nonprofit Athletic Organization Protection Act before us today I believe sets a very dangerous civil rights…”

“the Nonprofit Athletic Organization Protection Act before us today I believe sets a very dangerous civil rights precedent. I take this personally, because I raised four, now grown, children, and each and every one of them was an athlete, from competitive skater to All American football player, and I cannot imagine what our family would have been like if they had not been able to use their energy in sports. I cannot imagine the learning experience they would have missed if they had been faced with some unfair practice or decision that I could not challenge if that would have kept them out of athletics. So I think what we are setting up here is the possibility of unfair practices and policies when I do not believe there is a need. This bill attempts to protect nonprofit athletic organizations from liability arising from claims of negligence, but I believe it could do more than that. What I believe it does is protect organizations from actual legitimate lawsuits. What position does this put a parent in, when and if their daughter is told she cannot play soccer because she is not a boy? What does a parent do when their handicapped child is told they cannot be on a golf team because they cannot walk the course, but they could certainly get around the course in a wheelchair? While my children are now grown, they join me in wanting to have their children have every opportunity to play any sport.”