Georgia politicians pass “Gurley Bill” after RB Todd Gurley

Watching an early 2014 Heisman Trophy candidate’s season go up in a poof of U.S. greenbacks lead to Georgia lawmakers passing the “Gurley Bill” on Friday.

Rules are already in place to limit the kind and type of contact individuals can have with amateur athletes. Rules, or in some cases laws, attempt to stop individuals seeking to pay an athlete for favors or persuade a player to join an agent’s roster before turning professional jeopardizing the collegiate playing potential of said athlete.

After former University of Georgia running back Todd Gurley was sidelined for four games during the 2014 season after receiving compensation for autographs on various memorabilia, the Georgia House of Representatives passed House Bill 3, also known as the Gurley Bill.

The Bill is aimed at stiffer penalties for those individuals enticing collegiate athletes to break NCAA rules for money. The bill was filed by Republican Barry Flemming in November. The summary of the bill is as follows:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 14 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other educational programs, so as to provide sanctions for persons that enter into or solicit a transaction with a student-athlete that would result in sanctions to the student-athlete; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

The state Senate still has to pass the bill before becoming a law. The penalties for violating House Bill 3 include possible jail time and a fine of up to $25,000.

Gurley, a junior in 2014, ran for 911 yards with nine touchdowns in six games. He was sidelined for four games then came back only to tear the ACL in his left knee in a lopsided win against Auburn (34-7). After the completion of the 2014 season Gurley entered his paperwork for the 2015 NFL Draft forgoing his senior season.

 

Photo credit: cbssports.com; No. 3 Todd Gurley.