To prohibit institutions of higher education from unfairly imposing sanctions on student athletes.

March 19, 2003

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California (for himself and Mr. ANDREWS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

To prohibit institutions of higher education from unfairly imposing sanctions on student athletes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Student Athlete Fairness Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO IMPOSE CIVIL PENALTIES.

Section 485 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

`(h) PROHIBITION ON UNFAIR IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS ON STUDENT ATHLETES- No institution of higher education that participates in any program under this title, and that has an intercollegiate athletic program, shall--

`(1) impose a penalty or other sanction on a student athlete (including by canceling or forfeiting games) for a violation of an intercollegiate athletics association's rules or codes of conduct that was not committed by that student;

`(2) submit to the imposition by an intercollegiate athletics association of any sanction on a student athlete (including by canceling or forfeiting games) for a violation of an intercollegiate athletics association's rules or codes of conduct that was not committed by that student; or

`(3) be a member of an intercollegiate athletics association whose rules or codes of conduct authorize the imposition of a sanction on a student athlete (including by canceling or forfeiting games) for a violation of an intercollegiate athletics association's rules or codes of conduct that was not committed by that student.'.

END