Days after the GHSA’s board of trustees stated its plan to propose instant replay in championship football games, legislators in the General Assembly introduced a bipartisan bill that would ensure it happens.
According to H.B. 32, sponsored by three Democrats and three Republicans, ‘’no high school which receives funding shall participate in sports events that does not utilize instant replay in championship games.’’ The bill specifies that it’s for football only.
Bill sponsors include former Georgia football player Demetrius Douglas (D-Stockbridge) and former Falcons player Dewey McClain (D-Lawrenceville).
The bill appears unnecessary given the GHSA’s stated intentions Wednesday to bring instant replay to a vote that is almost certain to pass at the association’s April executive committee meeting.
The Class 3A football championship last month spurred the debate over using instant replay to review officials’ calls. Sandy Creek beat Cedar Grove 21-17 after scoring the winning touchdown on a third-down run that GPB Sports replays showed was stopped short of the goal line.
Two days later, several trustees said the GHSA would consider developing a new rule in the wake of the controversy. National rules prevented using instant replay to review calls until recent years. Now, about 15 states use it for certain championship events.
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