BILL REQ. #:  S-4231.1 

Read first time 01/30/2004.   Referred to Committee on Higher Education.

     AN ACT Relating to student athletes' bill of rights; and adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) An institution of higher education may not agree to, or be subject to, the rules or policies of any organization, association, or any other type of entity, nor make a contract with any party, that dictates the terms, value, and conditions of student athlete scholarships relating to any of the following:
     (a) The terms or duration of a scholarship or stipend the value of which is below the actual cost of attendance at that institution;
     (b) The amount earned from bona fide employment not associated with their sport;
     (c) Health insurance;
     (d) The ability to obtain licensed representation in making career choices;
     (e) The ability to transfer to another institution of higher education if a head coach leaves the school of attendance or anticipated attendance.
     (2) No institution of higher education that maintains an intercollegiate athletics program shall impose, or submit to the imposition of, a penalty or other sanction on a student athlete for a violation of a rule or code of conduct of an intercollegiate athletics association that was not committed by that student athlete.
     (3) As used in this section, "penalty or other sanction" includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the cancellation or forfeiting of an athletic event.
     (4) This section may be known and cited as the "student athletes' bill of rights."