COLUMBIA, SC (WBTW) – South Carolina Senator Marlon Kimpson wants some college athletes in the state to get paid in addition to their scholarships.

“This bill would seek to compensate players for the time that they spend associated with preparing, training and any other activity associated with their respective football or basketball schedule,” said Kimpson.

The bill would only apply to football and basketball (men and women) players at Division I schools that generate at least $50 million per year. Clemson University and the University of South Carolina fall under those categories.

“It treats players like other students for the work they do at the university,” said Kimpson. “Most players are prohibited from having jobs because of their rigorous practice schedule. That prohibits them from earning money. In my view, the time associated for sports ought to be treated like a work-study job and they ought to be compensated accordingly.”

Kimpson thinks athletes should be paid the hourly wage offered to work-study students up to $5,000 a year and $25,000 total.

“We’re fooling ourselves if we think this is amateur league sports. This is professional sports,” said Kimpson. “And what I’m saying is, the players ought to participate in some of the revenue and what I’ve suggested is simply paying them for the hours associated at what a normal student would get for working in the library.”

The money would be put into a trust fund and it would only be given to a student athlete if they graduate and pass a financial literacy course. They must also keep a 2.0 GPA to get paid.

“This is just a law keeping up with the times. We’re gone from the days where the college football coach is the chemistry professor,” added Kimpson. “The whole law needs to be changed to keep updated to the environment. This is a multi-billion dollar industry.”

The NCAA currently does not allow athletes to be paid while in college. News13 asked Kimpson how the bill would get around those rules.

“It definitely is counter to the NCAA rules,” he said. “But my position is, we are talking about state schools and state schools are on the purview of the general assembly. The big five conferences have the autonomy to undue the current NCAA rules and who better to lead this effort than South Carolina.”

To read the full bill click: here.