Assemblymember Chris Holden Hosts Press Conference upon AB 252 Introduction

Sacramento, CA – Today, former San Diego State basketball player and Assemblymember Chris Holden introduced, AB 252, The College Athlete Protection Act, which will create a state program paid by colleges to identify and enforce safety standards, certify college athlete agents, ensure transparency in recruiting, and enforce the Act.

The bill will require NCAA Division I institutions of higher education to establish a degree completion fund for its college athletes who receive athletic grants but do not receive “Fair Market Value” compensation in an academic year. 

Degree completion funds will ensure college athletes an equal amount of 50% of their team’s revenue upon the completion of their undergraduate degree.  The bill allows colleges to opt to pay less so long as all new athletic revenues are placed into the degree completion funds. 

The College Athlete Protection Act also helps ensure the preservation of all sports which is much needed. Between 2008-2018, California’s Division I colleges’ athletic revenues exploded from $369 million to $640 million.  During this period, Division I athlete participation decreased by 784 athletes while the number of coaches rose by 107.

“College sports generate billions of dollars in revenue, which is similar to our professional leagues,” said Assemblymember Chris Holden. “However, when serious injuries occur, many of our professional players have substantial contracts and contacts that can sustain them in the event that participation in professional sports is no longer an option while, we cannot say the same for our beloved college athletes and scholars.”

 "The status quo in NCAA sports is abusive, deadly, and exploitative.  This bill would ensure college athletes have crucial protections and can share in an equitable amount of the revenue they produce in a way that supports degree completion,” said Ramogi Huma, Executive Director of the National College Players Association and former UCLA football player.

AB 252 will require whistleblower protections and mandatory reporting of suspected safety violations and requires Title IX compliance transparency. The bill also ensures college athletes at schools with over $20 million in athletic revenue are not stuck with sports-related medical expenses.

Assemblymember Holden’s bill is a comprehensive response to college athlete leaders’ recently launched #FairRevShare college athletes’ rights campaign.

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