Senate Bill sb1788c1

    Florida Senate - 2003                           CS for SB 1788

    By the Committee on Education; and Senator Hill





    304-1967-03

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to student athletes; creating

  3         s. 877.135, F.S.; prohibiting the giving or

  4         offering of anything of monetary value to any

  5         person for the purpose of encouraging a student

  6         athlete to attend or not attend certain

  7         academic institutions, to become a professional

  8         athlete, or to endorse products or commercial

  9         establishments; providing exceptions; providing

10         penalties; providing an effective date.

11  

12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

13  

14         Section 1.  Section 877.135, Florida Statutes, is

15  created to read:

16         877.135  Corrupting or attempting to corrupt student

17  athletes.--

18         (1)  Whoever gives or offers anything of monetary value

19  to any person with the intent of encouraging a high school or

20  middle school student athlete residing in this state to attend

21  or not attend a particular academic institution, to become a

22  professional athlete, or to endorse a product or commercial

23  establishment commits a misdemeanor of the second degree,

24  punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine not to

25  exceed the larger of $1,000 or three times the value of the

26  inducement given or offered. Nothing herein shall prohibit the

27  prosecution of such person under any other laws.

28         (2)  The provisions of this section shall not apply to

29  the offering of a scholarship by the academic institution or

30  the provision of items and expenses specifically permitted

31  under the rules and regulations governing the recruitment of

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2003                           CS for SB 1788
    304-1967-03




 1  athletes by the academic institution.  The provisions of this

 2  section shall also not apply to any offer of employment by a

 3  professional sports team or organization that has provided the

 4  athlete with a written statement outlining any limitations

 5  which the acceptance of such offer will place on the amateur

 6  career of such athlete.

 7         (3)  The provisions of this section shall not apply to

 8  any item of monetary value given to a student athlete by a

 9  spouse, parent, sibling, grandparent, or guardian of such

10  student athlete.

11         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.

12  

13          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
14                         SENATE BILL 1788

15                                 

16  
    Prohibits offering or giving anything of monetary value to any
17  person in order to persuade a student athlete to go to a
    certain academic institution, become a professional, or make
18  endorsements.

19  Provides that the section's restrictions apply to offers or
    gifts for middle school or high school athletes residing in
20  Florida.

21  Provides that the section's restrictions do not apply to items
    of monetary value given to a student athlete by a spouse,
22  parent, sibling, grandparent, or guardian of such student
    athlete.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.