Pa. House passes bill opening door to separate public, private state playoffs

Don Rebel TribLive Wed, Apr 29, 2026 • 06:03 PM

PIAA executive director Mark Byers watches the girls Class 4A championship game with former director Bob Lombardi on March 21 at Giant Center in Hershey. (Christopher Horner | TribLive)

The state House on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted in favor of a proposal that would clear the way for the PIAA to hold separate postseason tournaments for traditional public high schools and private, parochial and charter schools.

The bipartisan bill passed on a 178-23 vote and now goes to the Senate for consideration. The Senate returns to session next week.

“That (vote) total was much better than I thought. I didn’t think it would be that high,” state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Ambridge, said, adding he thought the proposal might get support from 125 to 150 House members.

“I think there is pressure on the Senate to do something based on that vote,” Matzie said.

The proposal would open the door for the PIAA to have separate postseasons for boundary or traditional public schools and for nonboundary schools that include private, parochial and charter schools without geographic restrictions to draw students. It does not require the PIAA to make any changes.

For more than 50 years, PIAA officials have claimed they can’t have separate playoffs because of a 1972 bill that authorized the PIAA to take in Catholic and other private schools to be part of the organization along with public schools.

The bill introduced by state Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre County, amends the Public School Code to allow the PIAA to establish separate playoffs and championships for boundary schools and nonboundary schools.

In a memo announcing the bill, Conklin noted that in team sports, particularly football and basketball, private, charter and parochial schools have dominated the state playoffs in recent years.

He said when some schools have the ability to attract athletes regardless of where they live, but others do not, it creates both an unfair advantage and an unsafe environment.

The long-contentious issue has gained additional steam since the Philadelphia Catholic League joined the PIAA ahead of the 2008-09 school year as District 12.

Earlier this week, Matzie added an amendment to the bill that would protect the PIAA from lawsuits if it moves forward with creating separate postseasons.

“It’s for the taxpayers’ protection because now the PIAA can’t be sued,” he said.

The legislation would not affect the regular season or district playoffs such as the WPIAL postseasons.