REPRESENTATIVE MITCH GREENLICK

House District 33 

Historic Tuality County 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                         CONTACT

June 23, 2009                                                                                      Tom Powers (503) 986-1433

Oregon to Become First State to Adopt “Rooney Rule”

HB 3118 requires universities to interview minority candidates for coaching vacancies

SALEM, Ore.—By a vote of 52 to 0, the Oregon House of Representatives today concurred with the Oregon Senate’s amendments to House Bill 3118, which requires universities to interview at least one minority candidate for an open coaching position.  With this final approval the bill now moves to the desk of Governor Ted Kulongoski, who has indicated that he will sign it.

“Passage of HB 3118 will create a more level playing field for Oregon’s top sports jobs,” said Rep. Mitch Greenlick (D-Portland), chief sponsor of the bill.  “By enhancing competition in hiring, we can find coaches that will ultimately bring home more victories for our Oregon teams”. 

House Bill 3118 is modeled after the National Football League's 'Rooney Rule', which directs football franchises to interview at least one minority candidate for open head coaching positions.  The bill will require the same process for all open head coaching and athletic director positions at Oregon’s 7 universities.

Greenlick introduced HB 3118 at the request of a constituent from House District 33, Sam Sachs.  Sachs is a diversity advocate and a former football player at Western Oregon University.  With passage of HB 3118 into law, Oregon will become the first state to adopt the ‘Rooney Rule’ for college teams.

“I have never been prouder to be an Oregonian than I am now,” said Sachs.   “The success of House Bill 3118 shows that a citizen’s idea to make Oregon a leader in diversity can become a reality.” 

Representative Ron Maurer (R-Grants Pass) said that once HB 3118 takes effect, “it will be hard to argue that Oregon universities have not given everybody a chance to succeed in one of society’s most public and highly paid professions.”

House Bill 3118 received bipartisan support in the Oregon Legislature, originally passing 42 – 4 in the House and 29 – 0 in the Senate.

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