General Assembly Committee Bill No. 6870
January Session, 2017 LCO No. 5192
*05192HB06870HED*
Referred to Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT
Introduced by:
(HED)
General Assembly
Committee Bill No. 6870
January Session, 2017
LCO No. 5192
*05192HB06870HED*
Referred to Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT
Introduced by:
(HED)
AN ACT PROTECTING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF COLLEGE ATHLETES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2017) (a) For purposes of this section: (1) "Athletic program" means any intercollegiate athletic program at an institution of higher education in which students participate in sporting programs, events, contests or exhibitions at such institution, not including club or intramural programs; and (2) "Student athlete" means an individual who attends an institution of higher education and participates in any intercollegiate athletic program at such institution, not including club or intramural programs.
(b) There is established a Student Athlete Protection Commission, which shall be part of the Office of Higher Education. The commission shall consist of the following members:
(1) One appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, who has expertise in sports medicine;
(2) One appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, who has expertise in traumatic brain injuries resulting from contact sports;
(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who has expertise in athletic strength and conditioning training;
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who has expertise in college academic advising;
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, who has expertise in college athletic governance and reform;
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who is a former female student athlete, who shall serve as an athlete protection advocate;
(7) One appointed by the Governor, who is a former male student athlete, who shall serve as an athlete protection advocate;
(8) The president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, or the president's designee, who shall serve as an ex-officio, nonvoting member;
(9) The president of The University of Connecticut, or the president's designee, who shall serve as an ex-officio, nonvoting member; and
(10) The executive director of the Office of Higher Education, or the executive director's designee, who shall serve as an ex-officio, nonvoting member.
(c) All initial appointments to the commission shall be made not later than September 1, 2017, and shall terminate on August 31, 2021, regardless of when the initial appointment was made. Any member of the commission may serve more than one term.
(d) The Governor shall select a chairperson from among the members of the commission. Such chairperson shall schedule the first meeting of the commission, which shall be held not later than October 1, 2017.
(e) Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. Any vacancy occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term.
(f) A majority of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business.
(g) The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall, within the limits of available funds, be reimbursed for expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties.
(h) The commission shall have the following powers and duties: (1) To identify national and state-wide best practices and procedures that prevent injuries to student athletes; (2) to establish and implement policies for all in-state athletic programs based on the commission's findings of best practices and procedures; (3) to establish processes for filing complaints and reports of noncompliance with the commission; (4) to establish processes to review and adjudicate complaints and reports of noncompliance; (5) to investigate all complaints and reports of noncompliance of the commission's policies; (6) to issue subpoenas for the production of any documents or records for examination that the commission deems pertinent to any matter under investigation; (7) to assess civil penalties of not more than one thousand dollars for any athletic program determined by the commission to be in noncompliance of its policies; (8) to establish appeal processes that allow in-state athletic programs to contest such civil penalties; (9) to obtain from any executive department, board, commission or other agency of the state such assistance and data as necessary and available to carry out the purposes of this section; (10) to establish bylaws to govern its procedures; and (11) to perform such other acts as may be necessary and appropriate to carry out the duties described in this section.
(i) The commission shall meet quarterly, or as often as deemed necessary by the chairperson of the commission.
(j) Not later than January 1, 2019, and annually thereafter, the commission shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the Governor and the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health and higher education and employment advancement on the creation and implementation of policies that protect student athletes.
(k) The commission shall, subject to the provisions of chapter 67 of the general statutes, employ such employees as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. The commission may enter into such contractual agreements as may be necessary for the discharge of its duties, within the limits of its appropriated funds and in accordance with established procedures.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2017 New section
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
July 1, 2017
New section
Statement of Purpose:
To protect the health and safety of college athletes.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]
Co-Sponsors: REP. LESSER, 100th Dist.; REP. DILLON, 92nd Dist. REP. ELLIOTT, 88th Dist.
Co-Sponsors:
REP. LESSER, 100th Dist.; REP. DILLON, 92nd Dist.
REP. ELLIOTT, 88th Dist.
H.B. 6870