Revised CAA Bill Faces Vote

The bill passed by a 17-1 vote Tuesday but stalled in the hands of Matthews, who refused to approve the bill because of clerical errors and logistical concerns.

Matthews met Friday with Congress Speaker Alexandra Bell and Sarah Marks, chairwoman of Congress' Rules and Judiciary Committee, to discuss the changes. "Everyone has been very cooperative, very helpful," Matthews said. "It's hard when it's last minute, but no one has had problems with my objections."

In its present state, the bill gives Congress the power to approve the CAA president's Cabinet appointments as well as the ticket distribution policy chosen by the CAA.

It also mandates that the starting numbers for ticket distributions be chosen in public; that bracelet number ranges be published; and that public records be kept of every ticket given to CAA Cabinet members, Carolina Fever members or any other student officials or organizations.

Most of these stipulations still stand, but the new bill limits Congress' power so that any alterations to the distribution policy must not only be approved by a majority of Congress, but also by the director of athletics, the CAA president and the student body president.

The current bracelet system will be made law by the creation of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Athletics and the UNC student body, to be finalized early this week.

Matthews is currently writing the memorandum with Director of Athletics Dick Baddour and Director of Ticket Distribution Clint Gwaltney.

Matthews said the rest of the changes are minimal and do not change the face of the original bill. "I think we're going to get a much better bill out of this," he said.

It still includes the riders added Tuesday that exempt CAA President-elect Reid Chaney from Congress' approval of his Cabinet. But Matthews said he will ask Congress tonight to delete the riders because Congress' approval of Chaney's Cabinet will only help his transition. "Having the congressional stamp of approval gives (the Cabinet) more credibility to stand on."

Bell said that although she was originally hesitant to alter the bill that was so strongly supported in Congress last week, she feels the changes were necessary. "Honestly, the changes really are valid," she said. "These changes are just cleaning up rough edges."

Bell also said that the president's veto power encouraged her to work with Matthews, although she vows that Congress will not be forced to pass the bill if they don't agree with it.

"As speaker I represent Student Congress, and we did pass that bill," she said. "But in the interest of compromise and because Brad did have the veto power, (I agreed to the changes)."

Bell said she anticipates the bill's passage, and Matthews said he would readily approve this version of the bill if passed by Congress. "In the form it stands now, I have no problem signing it."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.