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South Carolina lawmaker files bill that would allow colleges to pay some athletes directly

Division One colleges that generate at least $50 million in yearly revenue would be allowed to pay football and men's and women's basketball players.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — A bill filed by a South Carolina state senator from Charleston aims to provide yearly stipends to certain college athletes who maintain good academic standing. 

For South Carolina State University basketball player Rahsaan Edwards, being a student-athlete is a full-time job. “Four to six hours per day," Edwards said. "It's every day, it's an everyday thing."

Edwards said he receives a full scholarship from the school, but that doesn't cover expenses like gas, food, and clothes.

"I can't imagine what it would be like to just have a little bit of money on the side. It would help so much," said Edwards.

A new bill filed in the South Carolina Senate would provide yearly stipends and graduation payouts to certain college athletes who maintain good academic standing, permitting direct pay-for-play for Division One players. 

Senate Bill 306, filed by Sen. Marlon Kimpson, proposes annual stipends for football players, as well as men's and women's basketball players at the Division One colleges that generate at least $50 million in yearly revenue.

Last year, the University of South Carolina generated $135 million. 

Students would be required to maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA the previous year, beginning with the student's senior year in high school. The amount of money would be "determined by the total number of hours the student-athlete spends associated with intercollegiate sport multiplied by the hourly rate established by the participating institution for a work-study program," the bill states. 

In addition to annual stipends, the bill would allow colleges to create a Student-Athlete Trust Fund using a percentage of the school's sports gross revenue. The bill states $5,000 would be contributed to the trust fund yearly for each football player and men's and women's basketball player that maintains above a 2.0 GPA. 

"Keeping up with your school work, that’s not easy.. People don’t grasp how hard that is," said Edwards.

Upon graduation and the completion of a financial literacy course, students would be paid the amount of money contributed to the fund on their behalf. Payments would be capped at $25,000. 

South Carolina State University would not be included under this bill as it does not meet the revenue requirement. 

However, Edwards still supports it. 

"We don't have a big fan base. It's not gonna be the same so it's like and I understand they bring in a different type of revenue and income, I understand that," said Edwards. 

Sen. Kimpson introduced similar legislation in 2015, 2018, and 2020.

This bill comes over 18 months after Gov. Henry McMaster signed a bipartisan bill into law that allows student-athletes to receive compensation for name, image, and likeness rights, collectively known as NIL. Several high-profile athletes in South Carolina signed NIL deals, including former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.

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