Calif. Bill Would Help Some Injured Student Athletes
SACRAMENTO (AP) — State lawmakers have approved first-in-the-nation legislation requiring California universities with the most high-profile sports programs to provide financial protections for student athletes who suffer career-ending injuries.
They would have to give academic scholarships to students who lose their athletic scholarships because of an injury while playing their sport. The bill also requires them to cover insurance deductibles and pay health care premiums for low-income athletes.
SB1525 would apply to universities that receive more than $10 million annually in sports media revenue. The bill by Sen. Alex Padilla, a Democrat from Los Angeles, would apply this year to the University of Southern California, UCLA, Berkeley and Stanford University.
Stanford officials objected to the bill, which passed 24-10 Wednesday and was sent to Gov. Jerry Brown. The school's athletic director says including only four universities leaves out most California students.
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