Abbott Signs Bill Allowing College Athletes to Profit from Their Likeness

AUSTIN,TX – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a Senate bill that will let college student athletes receive compensation for the use of their name, image, and likeness.

Authored by Brandon Creighton, the House voted 117-27 in approval of the bill which is designed to keep Texas in step with the nationwide movement to allow students to profit from their name, image, and likeness.

This law will take effect on July 1st in Texas along with Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and New Mexico.

Texas joins 19 other states that have passed the same type of law.

Other states with the same law going into effect are:

• Arizona- July 23rd, 2021
• Arkansas- January 1st, 2022
• Tennessee- January 1st, 2022
• Nevada- January 1st, 2022
• California- January 2023
• Colorado- January 2023
• Montana- TBD in 2023
• Maryland TBD in 2023
• Oklahoma- July 1st, 2023
• Nebraska- July 1st, 2023
• New Jersey- TBD in 2025

Laws in Illinois, Louisiana, Connecticut, and Missouri are currently waiting for their governors signatures.

While it allows students to profit from their name, image, and likeness, the schools won’t be able to directly compensate their student athletes.

Students will also have to disclose all of the agreements they make with their university.

In Texas, student athletes will not be considered employees under the bill.

Also, student athletes will be prohibited from endorsing gambling and/or illegal firearms. They will have to comply with institutional honor codes. Students will also have to attend at least 5 hours of literacy and life skills workshops at the beginning of their 1st and 3rd academic year. These workshops will focus on financial aid, debt management and how to budget.

This is a state law, so it could be overtaken by federal law, to keep a level playing field. Some conference commissioners have already called for a nationwide standard to avoid unfair advantages.