a California Lawmakers introduced a bill Thursday that would allow schools that play major college sports to pay $25,000 annually to some athletes, along with six years of guaranteed athletic scholarships and to cover the cost of post-college medical expenses. would be required.
The College Athlete Protection Act is sponsored by Assembly member Chris Holden, a former San Diego State basketball player, and is the type of state-level legislation that NCAA Looking to federal lawmakers for prevention.
“I know how close you can come to injury, taking away not only the game you love to play but your chance to finish college,” Holden said at a news conference outside the historic Rose Bowl stadium. Let’s take it.”
California was the first state to pass a law that entitled college athletes to compensation for their name, image and likeness in 2019. This triggered similar action by state legislatures across the country.
Holden is eager to be at the forefront of the state again.
Standing in front of a bronze statue of George W. Bush, he said, “I am not prepared to wait for Congress to address this serious issue.” Jackie Robinson, who was a multi-sport star at UCLA. “This is an extremely competitive and comprehensive bill that I believe will provide income and health services to our college athletes.”
The NCAA lifted its ban on athletes cashing in on their fame with sponsorship and endorsement deals, but more than two dozen state-level NIL laws make it impossible for the federation to enact its own detailed and uniform rules.
At the NCAA conference last week, college sports leaders reiterated the need for Congress’s help in protecting the union from state laws regulating NIL compensation and curtailing its ability to operate college sports.
“We need to make sure that as it pertains to college sports, federal law takes precedence over state law,” Baylor president Linda Livingstone, chair of the NCAA’s board of governors, said last week. “In areas like Void, we already see state legislators take action that they believe will give universities in their states a competitive edge over their neighbors.”
Assembly Bill 252 – introduced by Holden, a Democrat whose district includes Pasadena – calls for 50% revenue sharing for Division I schools in California with athletes who are considered undervalued because of the amount of their athletic scholarships does not match their market value. , It will be aimed mostly at, but not exclusively at, athletes competing in revenue-generating sports such as football and basketball.
“This is a bill that will end California’s blatant exploitation of college athletes,” said Ramoji Huma, executive director of the National College Players Association. “The economic model of the NCAA is illegal and based on racial injustice. The NCAA is siphoning generational funds from predominantly black athletes from low-income families to pay the lavish salaries of predominantly white coaches, athletic directors, commissioners and NCAA administrators. Uses amateurism to systematically snatch.
The money paid for the scholarship will be included in the 50% that goes towards the players. The rest will go into a fund that will make annual payments. Individual payments will be determined based on what the schools bring in and cannot exceed $25,000 per year for a single athlete.
Any additional revenue from the athletes’ portion would go to a degree completion fund, which athletes would be eligible to receive within six years after graduating.
“It’s going to make things better, not only for the football players, but for all student-athletes at the college level, which is great,” declared Elisha Guidry, a graduate student and football player at San Jose State, who holds the position. were involved in, said. bill.
“I came here and college sports came a certain way and I would like to think that when I’m finished with my career, college sports will be better and headed in a better direction in the future,” said Guidry, who previously played at UCLA. I played in the last year before graduation.
The bill also calls for schools to provide coverage of sports-related medical expenses, establish and enforce safety standards and transparency in recruiting, protect all sports programs – not just those that generate revenue – and Title IX Compliance.
Joining Holden at the Rose Bowl was Amy LeClair, a 2017 San Jose State graduate who competed in gymnastics. She stated that she was bullied and molested by her coaches, and was sexually assaulted by the program’s head coach during her career.
,universities have not earned the privilege of operating unchecked, nor have they earned the benefit of the doubt,” LeClair said. “I never imagined that the very system designed to protect me would be the source of my exploitation. That’s what motivates me to sit here today to help advocate for the safety of NCAA athletes.”
The bill is reminiscent of one introduced at the federal level in 2020 by four Democratic senators, including Cory Booker of New Jersey, called the College Athlete Bill of Rights.
Similar to many other bills introduced in Congress related to college sports and the NIL in particular, that bill went nowhere.
Holden introduced the College Athlete Civil Rights Act of 2019, which was eventually signed into state law. It required schools to document and inform athletes of their rights and prohibited retaliation against athletes who reported violations or misconduct.
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Russo reported from New York.
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