Last week, Rep. Charlie Dent (Pennsylvania) and Rep. Joyce Beatty (Ohio) introduced the NCAA Accountability Act. Although the bill has been met with skepticism by critics, media and legal professionals, it takes aim at some of the major issues currently facing the NCAA such as concussion testing, four-year scholarships, student-athlete stipends, and due process procedures. In short, the bill would require the following: 1) annual “baseline concussion testing” for student-athletes; 2) irrevocable (for athletic or injury purposes) four-year scholarships for student-athletes competing in contact sports including boxing, field hockey, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, martial arts, rodeo, soccer, and wrestling; 3) no institution shall implement a policy that would prohibit an institution from providing student-athletes with stipends; and 4) every student-athlete and institution would have the opportunity for “a formal administrative hearing” prior to any punishment handed down by the NCAA, “not less than one appeal,” and “any other due process procedure the Secretary determines by regulation to be necessary.” The legislation was proposed as a part of the Higher Education Act of 1965. In turn, the legislation calls for institutions refusing to implement its terms to be prohibited from receiving federal Title IV funds. In the body of the legislation, it indicates that Title IV funding is $150-$200 billion annually and will total $140 billion in 2014.

For any questions, feel free to contact Christian Dennie at cdennie@bgsfirm.com.