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DIVISION I LEGISLATIVE PROCESS ANDPROPOSAL DRAFTING 101

SARAH HEBBERDANNE ROHLMAN

Overview

• Legislative Process.

• Proposal Types.

• Anatomy of a Legislative Proposal.

• Practice Makes Perfect.

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NEW LEGISLATIONBEST IDEA EVER OBSTACLES

New Legislation

Problem

Feedback

Refinement

Consensus

Day Job

Politics Timing

Perfect > Progress

Legislative Process(es)Autonomy and Council-Governance Legislative Processes.

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Legislative Process(es)

• NCAA Constitution 5.3.2 (Division I Legislative Process).

Submission

• Deadlines for submission of proposals or amendments.

Notification

• Deadlines for notice to membership (e.g., official notice).

Periods

• Time formembership comment or modification.

Legislative Process(es)

AutonomyCouncil-Governance and Football Specific

Autonomy Authority

To permit use of resources to:

• Advance educational or athletics needs of SA; and

• Enhance SA well-being.

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Areas of Autonomy

Athletics Personnel.

Insurance & Career Transition.

Promo Activities Unrelated to Athletics 

Participation.

Recruiting Restrictions.

Pre‐enrollment Expenses & Support.

Areas of Autonomy

Financial Aid.Awards, Benefits 

& Expenses.Academic Support.

Health and Wellness.

Meals and Nutrition.

Time Demands.

Definitions and limitations on athletics personnel:

• To meet support needs of SAs; and

• Properly manage need for competitive balance.

Athletics Personnel.

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Athletics Personnel

• Bylaw 11.7.6 (Limitations on Number of Coaches and Off‐Campus Recruiters).

Do additional coaches manage competitive balance?

Autonomy Process

September 15• Concepts due.

November 1• Proposals due.

January Convention• Vote on proposals.

September 15• Notice of Concepts.

November 15

• Autonomy POPL.

December 15• Autonomy Official Notice.

Modification• December 1.

Comment• Ends December 15.

Submission Notification

Periods

Legislative Process(es)

AutonomyCouncil-Governance and Football Specific

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Legislative Process(es)

AutonomyCouncil-Governance and Football Specific

Council Conference

Council-Introduced Proposals

November 1

• Council-Introduced.

January Council

• January vote.• Noncontroversial.

April Council

• Vote.

November 15

• POPL.

December 1• Proposals identified for• January vote.

February 8

• Official Notice.

Submission Notification

Modification

• February 1*.

Comment

• March 1.

Periods

January Vote

• To be eligible for a January vote, a proposal must be:

1. Introduced by the Council;

2. Impact student‐athlete well‐being; and

3. Be time sensitive.

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Legislative Process(es)

AutonomyCouncil-Governance and Football Specific

Council Conference

• Conference must submit legislative concept byJuly 15.

• Final proposal due November 1.

PROPOSAL 2018-31

• Conference must submit legislative proposal bySeptember 1.

PREVIOUS RULE

Conference-Sponsored Proposals

July 15• Concepts.

November 1• Proposals.

April Council

• Vote.

August 1• POPC.

November 15• POPL.

February 8• Official Notice.

Submission Notification

Modification

• February 1*.

Comment

• March 1.

Periods

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New Legislative Policies

• Automatic Referral of Concepts Under Review.

oBoard of Directors and Division I Council.

oAppellate opportunity.

• Reviewing committee or working group could recommend concept moves forward independently.

Now What?

• Your conference submitted aconcept.

• Proposal is due November 1.

Proposal Types

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Proposal Types

• Council Vote.

• Amendment (proposal).

• Noncontroversial.

• Emergency.

• Modification of wording.

• No Council Vote.

• Editorial revision (staff authority).

• Incorporation (Legislative Committee).

Standard Amendment

• Proposal to modify existing legislation (e.g., change oreliminate) or create new legislation.

• May not be inconsistent with constitution.

• Introduced by board or Council, or sponsored conference.

Noncontroversial and Emergency Legislation

• Board or Council may introduce and adoptnoncontroversial and emergency legislative amendmentsthroughout the year.o Three-fourths majority vote.

• Legislation must be noncontroversial and/or necessary fornormal and orderly administration of Association’slegislation.

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Noncontroversial Legislation

• Minimal impact on competitive or recruiting equity.

• Minimal financial impact.

• Broad support from its primary stake holders.

• Does not negatively impact student-athlete well-being.

• Does not significantly impact the Division I academicstandards (initial and continuing eligibility).

Noncontroversial Legislation (cont’d)

• Broader consultation and debate unlikely to improveproposal in any substantial way.

• Significant disagreement or alternative points of viewwill not be generated.

• No significant impact (unanticipated consequences,undesirable precedent) on existing or proposedlegislation.

Emergency Legislation

• Significant values or harm are at stake (e.g., immediatehealth and safety concern);

AND

• Use of regular legislative cycle is likely to cause unduehardship to the Association or the Division Imembership due to delay in effective date.

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Modification of Wording

• Revisions consistent with intent of the membershipwhen legislation was originally adopted.

• Requires sufficient documentation and testimony toestablish that wording of existing legislation isinconsistent with the original intent.

Editorial Revision

• Designed to clarify existing legislation.

• Nonsubstantive in nature and does not affect theapplication of the legislation.

Incorporation

• A mechanism to incorporate interpretative principles intolegislation for greater clarity and ease of application.

o NCAA Division I Interpretations Committee may incorporate official interpretations into legislation.

o Staff interpretations or lower must first be elevated to Official Interpretations by NCAA Division I Legislative Committee.

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Voting Procedure

Voting Procedure

Amendments‐to‐Amendments.

“Floor amendments”.

Split Vote.

Noncontroversial.

Adopt/Defeat.

Tabling and Referral.

Finality of Action

• Legislation adopted by Council is final at end of Board ofDirectors meeting.

o Emergency and noncontroversial legislation final at end of Councilmeeting.

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Rescission Process

85% 60 2/3

Defeat

• A defeated amendment may not be resubmitted as a newamendment for a two-year period.

• Sunset Provision.

o If Council takes no action within one year of initial consideration, it will be considered defeated.

Anatomy of a Proposal

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ProposalTitle

Intent

LanguageBudget and SA Time

Effective Date

Rationale

3 Lenses Commitments

New Legislative Policies

• Proposal submission requires new information.

oDivision I Commitment (Bylaw 20).

oThree Lenses.

• Used during committee reviews and to develop positions.

Division I Commitments

Collegiate Model.Institutional Control and 

Compliance.

Value‐Based Legislation.

Student‐Athlete Well‐Being.

Amateurism.Sound Academic 

Standards.

Fair Competition.Responsible Recruiting 

Standards.

Integrity and Sportsmanship.

Diversity and Inclusion.

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Three Lenses

•Originally developed by Rules Working Group.

• Consequential or nationally significant?

• Enforceable, do merits outweigh monitoring burdens?

• Support SA success/well‐being?

Title

• Relevant main bylaw followed by sub-bylaw and so on.

• Final phrase should describe thechange in the proposal.

• Sport should be identified.

1. ALL CAPS.

2. Two small dashes between phrases.

3. May be shortened ifdoes not detract from clarity.

Tips and Tricks

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Intent

• Concisely tell exactly what proposalwill do.

• Should not explain why or advocate forproposal.

• In most cases, intent should use samelanguage as bylaw revision.

1. If proposal is sport specific, list sport first.

2. Avoid using bylaw cites.

3. Typically use singular tense.

Tips and Tricks

Bylaw Language

• Consistency, consistency.

• Find and follow previous, similarproposals.

• Always ask, what else?

1. Out with the old, in with the new.

2. Include appropriate contextual bylaws.

3. Use multiple sections when changing multiple unrelated bylaws.

Tips and Tricks

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Effective Date

• Be intentional. Address in rationale.

• If proposal impacts eligibility, considerretroactivity.

• What are unintended consequences(e.g., midyear changes, contracts)?

1. Default is August 1.

2. Use semicolon when adding information after date.

Tips and Tricks

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Rationale

• Address Division I commitment and theNCAA Division I Rules Working Grouplenses.

• Include NCAA Division I Student-AthleteAdvisory Committee and/or coachesassociation positions.

• If effective date is other than August 1,include explanation in rationale.

1. Should mostly avoid intent.

2. Review for factual and grammatical errors.

3. Try to limit to 200 words or less.

Tips and Tricks

Budget and Student-Athlete Time

• Do not default to “none”.

• Student-athlete impact is specific toimpact on time (academic orathletics).

• Review examples in previous proposals.

Tips and Tricks

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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT