A Different Bill of Rights Pending in the Legislature
From the Sacramento Bee:
Four California universities with big-time sports programs are fighting a legislative effort that could radically change the way schools recruit, educate and retain student athletes. The schools are opposing the “Student Athlete Bill of Rights,” they say, because it would be too expensive, put their programs at a competitive disadvantage and may go against NCAA rules.
Senate Bill 1525, by Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles, would require schools earning more than $10 million a year in media revenue from athletic programs to continue an athlete’s scholarship if he or she is no longer able to participate in athletics, and would allow athletes to switch schools without restriction. The bill also would force schools to provide student athletes with life skills and financial workshops and pay health care premiums for low-income individuals.
“It’s evident to me we’re losing focus on the mission of the university itself,” Padilla said. Student athletes, he added, “should be competing second to getting an education.”
His measure would affect the University of Southern California, UCLA, UC Berkeley and Stanford University. Other schools would be affected if their media revenue reaches the $10 million threshold…
The bill has won support from one group of student athletes. Jeff Locke, the kicker for the UCLA football team, coordinated a petition in favor of the bill signed by 72 current UCLA football players. “I just felt like the lawmakers needed to know that there are players behind this bill even if the school many not be,” Locke said. The bill passed 22-14 in the Senate and is scheduled for the Assembly Higher Education Committee June 27…
The bill itself can be found at:
http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/sen/sb_1501-1550/sb_1525_bill_20120529_amended_sen_v96.html