Calif. State Senate OKs bill telling schools not to follow NCAA rules May 30, 2003 SportsLine.com wire reports
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The California State Senate approved a bill Thursday barring in-state colleges and universities from abiding by the NCAA's rules on scholarships, student wages and several other topics.
"We don't want our universities to leave the NCAA, but we do want the NCAA to change some of its rules," said Sen. Kevin Murray, D-Culver City, a co-author of the bill. "We think the NCAA frankly should listen to us."
The bill, sent to the Assembly by a 26-9 vote, would bar California colleges and universities from following NCAA rules on:
* Athletic scholarships and stipends.
* Health insurance.
* Jobs not associated with sports.
* Hiring agents or attorneys to help with career choices.
* Transfers to other schools.
* Penalties by others, such as a coach or athletic director.Murray called the NCAA rules Draconian.
"They essentially place student athletes in a position which is equal to a sharecropper on a plantation" even though those athletes generate millions of dollars for their schools, he said.
Among Murray's complaints were NCCA rules barring Division I schools from guaranteeing scholarships for more than one year, limiting health insurance for athletes and preventing schools from paying stipends to cover athletes' expenses. He also criticized rules that put a $2,000-a-year limit on student job earnings and a regulation that costs a year of eligibility if a student transfers to another school.
"There are rules that say you can't have a job during the season but that also limit scholarships to room, board and tuition," he said. "Unless you have parents who can give you money or you're willing to fly around the rules you don't have money for toothpaste, toilet paper, clothes, gas, taking your girlfriend to the movies or anything."
The bill is supported by Collegiate Athletes Coalition. Opponents include the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, Stanford University and the University of California.
An NCAA spokesman, Jeff Howard, said the organization has addressed or will be addressing some of the issues raised by the bill. Those steps include consideration in January of richer scholarships for student athletes and removal in August of the cap on how much student athletes can earn from jobs.
Enactment of the bill, he said, would hurt California schools and athletes by preventing them from participating in NCAA events, including championships.
He said it was up to the schools that make up the association to change its rules.
Murray said he doubted the NCAA would try to ban California schools from its events because of the money and fans the schools bring to college athletics.
"Think of how much USC, UCLA and Stanford generate alone in terms of viewer attention," Murray said.
"It's not our hope to have the NCAA fall apart or anything but clearly they are a private national organization and we are a sovereign state and we think our say ought to be heard. We hope the NCAA would consider some of these issues."
The NCAA is a voluntary association of about 1,200 colleges and universities, athletic conferences and sports organizations that administer intercollegiate athletics.
About 17,000 California students at 45 schools take part in a NCAA sanctioned sport.
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