Establishes a green development neighborhood tax exemption

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jenifer Rajkumar

If a public college rescinds a student-athlete’s athletic scholarship due to a medically incapacitating injury or illness, the school must replace it with an equal-value scholarshi

REFERRED TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION

A 4711 — Scholarships for student-athletes at public institutions of higher education (Introduced version)

Note: The bill text provided focuses on scholarships for student-athletes rather than the environmental theme suggested by the initial title. This summary reflects the introduced content as published.

Overview

Bill number: A 4711

Subject: Requires public colleges and universities to provide an alternative scholarship to student-athletes if their athletic scholarship is rescinded or not renewed due to an incapacitating injury or illness.

Status: REFERRED TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION (originally introduced in the Assembly and referred to Assembly Higher Education)

Introduced: September 12, 2024

Primary sponsor: Jenifer Rajkumar

Related/companion bills: S 3676 (companion)

Purpose

To protect student-athletes who lose an athletic scholarship because of a medically incapacitating injury or illness by mandating a scholarship of equal value for the remainder of the student’s undergraduate enrollment (up to a maximum of five academic years, whichever comes first).

Key Provisions

1) Replacement Scholarship Requirement
- If a public institution rescinds or does not renew an athletic scholarship due to an incapacitating injury or illness, the institution must provide a scholarship equal in value to the athletic scholarship for:
- the remainder of the student’s undergraduate enrollment, or
- a maximum of five academic years (inclusive of the duration of the athletic scholarship),
- whichever is shorter.

2) Definitions (Section 1b)
- Incapacitating injury or illness: An injury or illness directly related to the student-athlete’s participation in intercollegiate athletics at a public institution, as determined by the institution’s medical staff to render the student-athlete ineligible to participate further.
- Student-athlete: An undergraduate student who participates in intercollegiate athletics at a public institution of higher education.

3) Effective Date
- The act takes effect immediately.

What’s at Stake / Potential Impact

Affects student-athletes who lose scholarships due to injury, ensuring financial support continues beyond the original award.

Institutions must assess and provide a replacement scholarship of equivalent value for up to five years or the remaining time to degree, to the extent allowed by the shorter period.

Could influence athletic department budgeting, scholarship administration, and medical determinations of eligibility.

Legislative History & Timeline

2024-09-12: Introduced in the Assembly; referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee.

2025-02-04: Referred to Real Property Taxation (listed twice in the provided actions).

Administrative Details

Sponsor: Jenifer Rajkumar (primary)

Related bills: S 3676 (companion); A 2097, A 7297, A 931, A 49, A 290, A 7312 (prior-session references)

This summary presents the substantive provisions and potential effects of A 4711 as introduced. If enacted, the bill would create a mandate for replacement scholarships in cases of incapacitating athletic injuries or illnesses at public higher education institutions.