NOTE: The law surrounding NIL is still developing. The information in this article is accurate as of February 2023.
In July 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled the NCAA could not prohibit student athletes from profiting off education-related payments. Now, we are living in a new era of college athletics where student athletes can cash in and have more agency.
Per the NCAA’s current policy, athletes and institutions must follow what their state laws establish regarding name, image and likeness (NIL). If there is no law enacted, the university is responsible for establishing their own guidelines. States are passing laws to govern contracts and place certain provisions on universities and athletes. Some examples may include allowing athletes to hire agents, requiring athletes to disclose their agreements to their colleges or prohibiting endorsements of morally questionable industries like tobacco, alcohol, gambling, etc.
Student journalists should look out for privacy clauses in pending and enacted NIL legislation. This legal language could bar journalists from receiving any information from public access requests regarding how universities handle NIL. Look for clauses like this one in Louisiana state law:
“Any document disclosed by the intercollegiate athlete to the postsecondary education institution that references the terms and conditions of the athlete’s contract for compensation shall be confidential and not subject to inspection, examination, copying, or reproduction pursuant to the Public Records Law.”
For more on NIL legalities, check out Everything we know about NIL law & policy (so far).
In this guide, each state will have a “State Status,” which will note if any NIL legislation has been proposed. All bills that have been proposed regarding NIL will be listed for each state. Each bill will have a “Bill Status” to let you know if it is enacted into law, dead or pending. Click on the bill name to be taken to the legislation.
Alabama
State Status: Enacted into Law through Repealed or Suspended Legislation
House Bill 76: “Student athletes, compensation for use of student athlete’s name, image, or likeness, Act 2021-227, 2021 Reg. Sess., repealed”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Dated Passed: February 3, 2022
Date Effective: February 3, 2022
House Bill 404: “Student athletes, may earn compensation for use of name, image, or likeness, conditions established, certain postsecondary educational institutions may not restrict, Alabama Collegiate Athletic Commission established to enforce, Sec. 8-26B-32 added.”
Bill Status: No Longer in Effect
Date Passed: April 15, 2021
Alaska
State Status: No Known NIL Legislation
Arizona
State Status: Enacted into Law
Senate Bill 1296: “AN ACT AMENDING TITLE 15, CHAPTER 14, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING ARTICLE 9.1; RELATING TO POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: March 26, 2021
Effective Date: July 23, 2021
Arkansas
State Status: Enacted into Law
House Bill 1671: “AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE ARKANSAS STUDENT-ATHLETE 14 PUBLICITY RIGHTS ACT; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: April 21, 2021
Effective Date: January 1, 2022
California
State Status: Enacted into Law
Senate Bill 26: “Collegiate athletics: student athlete compensation and representation.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: August 31, 2021
Effective Date: September 1, 2021
Senate Bill 206: “Collegiate athletics: student athlete compensation and representation.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: September 30, 2019
Effective Date: September 1, 2021
Colorado
State Status: Enacted into Law
Senate Bill 20-123: “Compensation And Representation Of Student Athletes”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: July 1, 2021
Effective Date: January 1, 2023
Connecticut
State Status: Enacted into Law
Raised Senate Bill No. 20: “AN ACT CONCERNING THE NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF STUDENT ATHLETES”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: May 10, 2022
Effective Date: July 1, 2022
House Bill 6402: “An Act Concerning Higher Education.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: June 30, 2021
Effective Date: July 1, 2021
Delaware
State Status: Enacted into Law
Senate Bill 297: “AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ATHLETE AGENTS.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: November 2, 2022
Effective Date: January 1, 2023
District of Columbia
State Status: Pending Legislation
Bill 24-0456: “Uniform College Athlete Name, Image, or Likeness Act of 2021”
Bill Status: Pending
Introduction Date: October 19, 2021
Florida
State Status: Enacted into Law with New Pending Legislation
Senate Bill 200: “Intercollegiate Athlete Compensation and Rights; Revising requirements for athlete agents representing intercollegiate athletes for certain purposes; deleting requirements regarding the compensation that intercollegiate athletes may receive; deleting certain requirements for postsecondary educational institutions whose intercollegiate athletes seek to earn compensation or to have professional representation; requiring a postsecondary educational institution to conduct at least two financial literacy, life skills, and entrepreneurship workshops under certain conditions, etc.”
Bill Status: Pending
File Date: January 17, 2023
House Bill 99: “Intercollegiate Athlete Compensation and Rights; Removes requirement that compensation to intercollegiate athlete be provided by certain third parties; revises provisions relating to compensation directed to current & prospective intercollegiate athletes; revises provisions relating to compensation contracts & certain postsecondary educational institution workshops for intercollegiate athletes; authorizes postsecondary educational institutions to provide specified services to intercollegiate athletes & provides requirements for such services.”
Bill Status: Pending
File Date: January 3, 2023
Senate Bill 646: “Intercollegiate Athlete Compensation and Rights”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: June 12, 2021
Effective Date: July 1, 2021
Georgia
State Status: Enacted into Law
House Bill 617: “Postsecondary education; student athletes may receive compensation for use of name, image, or likeness; provide”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: May 6, 2021
Effective Date: July 1, 2021
Hawaii
State Status: No Passed or Pending Legislation
House Bill 2673: “RELATING TO INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS.”
Bill Status: Dead
Date of Last Action: March 9, 2020
Idaho
State Status: No Known NIL Legislation
Illinois
State Status: Enacted into Law
House Bill 1175: “Amends the Student-Athlete Endorsement Rights Act.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: May 20, 2022
Effective Date: July 1, 2022
Senate Bill 2338: “Student-Athlete Endorsement Rights Act”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: June 29, 2021
Effective Date: July 1, 2021
Indiana
State Status: No Known NIL Legislation
Iowa
State Status: No Passed or Pending Legislation
Senate Bill 386: “A bill for an act relating to compensation of college athletes and including effective date and applicability provisions.”
Bill Status: Dead
Date of Last Action: April 1, 2021
Kansas
State Status: No Passed or Pending Legislation
Senate Bill 474: “Permitting student athletes to receive compensation for the use of their name, image, likeness rights or athletic reputation when 15 other states adopt similar legislation.”
Bill Status: Dead
Date of Last Action: May 21, 2020
Kentucky
Status: Enacted into Law with New Pending Legislation
House Concurrent Resolution 94: “A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the United States federal government to take steps to ensure international intercollegiate athletes may take advantage of state name, image, and likeness laws.:
Bill Status: Dead
Date of Last Action: March 23, 2022
Senate Bill 6: “AN ACT relating to athletics and declaring an emergency.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: March 9, 2022
Effective Date: March 9, 2022
Executive Order: “RELATING TO RESPONSIBILITIES OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AS TO NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS COMPENSATION OF STUDENT-ATHLETES”
Order Status: Enacted into Law
Issued Date: June 24, 2021
Effective Date: July 1, 2021
Louisiana
State Status: Enacted into Law
Senate Bill 250: “Provides relative to the compensation of intercollegiate athletes for the use of their name, image, or likeness.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: June 10, 2022
Effective Date: June 10, 2022
Senate Bill 60: “Provides relative to the compensation of intercollegiate athletes for the use of their name, image, or likeness.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: July 1, 2021
Effective Date: July 1, 2021
Maine
State Status: Enacted into Law
Legislative Document No. 1893: “An Act Regarding the Use of a Student Athlete’s Name, Image, Likeness or Autograph”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: March 31, 2022
Effective Date: March 31, 2022
Maryland
State Status: Enacted into Law
Senate Bill 439 / House Bill 125 (Cross-filed): “Public Institutions of Higher Education – Student Athletes (Jordan McNair Safe and Fair Play Act”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: May 18, 2021
Effective Date: July 1, 2021 & July 1, 2023
Massachusetts
State Status: No Passed or Pending Legislation
Senate Bill 2813: “Relative to college athlete compensation”
Bill Status: Dead
Date of Last Action: April 7, 2022
Several other bills similar to SB 2813 died in the Massachusetts State Congress.
Michigan
State Status: Enacted into Law
House Bill 5217: “AN ACT to prohibit postsecondary educational institutions in this state and certain athletic organizations from preventing a college athlete from receiving compensation for the use of his or her name, image, or likeness rights”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed date: December 20, 2020
Effective Date: January 4, 2021
Minnesota
State Status: No Pending or Current Legislation
Senate File 2995: “Allowing Compensation to Student Athletes for use of Athletes’ Name, Image, or Likeness”
Bill Status: Dead
Date of Last Action: March 2, 2020
House File 3329: “A bill for an act relating to higher education; allowing student athletes various rights to compensation and representation; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota”
Bill Status: Dead
Date of Last Action: February 13, 2020
Mississippi
State Status: Enacted into Law
Senate Bill 2690: “Mississippi Intercollegiate Athletics Compensation Act and Mississippi Uniform Agents act; revise various provisions of.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: April 18, 2021
Effective Date: April 18, 2021
Senate Bill 2313: “Mississippi Intercollegiate Athletics Compensation Rights Act; allow athletes to be compensated for name, image and likeness.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: April 16, 2021
Effective Date: July 1, 2021
Missouri
State Status: Enacted into Law
Senate Bill 718: “Designates the third week of September as “Historically Black College and University Week” in Missouri and modifies provisions regarding higher education”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: June 16, 2022
Effective Date: August 28, 2022
House Bill 297: “Institutions of Higher Education”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: July 14, 2021
Effective Date: August 28, 2021
Montana
State Status: Enacted into Law
Senate Bill 248: “AN ACT ESTABLISHING STUDENT-ATHLETE RIGHTS AND 5 PROTECTIONS; ENSURING THAT A STUDENT-ATHLETE CAN EARN COMPENSATION FOR THE USE OF 6 THE STUDENT-ATHLETE’S NAME, IMAGE, OR LIKENESS; AND PROVIDING A DELAYED EFFECTIVE 7 DATE.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: April 30, 2021
Effective Date: June 1, 2023
Nebraska
State Status: Enacted into Law with Amendment
Legislative Bill 1137: “Rename and change provisions of the Nebraska Fair Pay to Play Act”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: April 20, 2022
Effective Date: July 21, 2022
Legislative Bill 962: “Nebraska Fair Pay to Play Act”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: July 27, 2020
Effective Date: November 14, 2020
Nevada
State Status: Enacted into Law with New Pending Legislation
Senate Bill 70: “Revises provisions governing name, image or likeness contracts for student athletes.”
Bill Status: Pending
Introduction Date: February 6, 2023
Assembly Bill 254: “AN ACT relating to education; prohibiting certain entities from compensating a student athlete for the use of the name, image or likeness of the student athlete; providing that a student athlete may be compensated for the use of the name, image or likeness of the student athlete by certain organizations; directing the Legislative Committee on Education to appoint a committee to conduct an interim study relating to the use of the name, image or likeness of a student athlete; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: May 29, 2021
Effective Date: Several dates from May 29, 2021 to January 1, 2022
New Hampshire
State Status: No Pending or Current Legislation
House Bill 1505: “Relative to compensation of college athletes.”
Bill Status: Dead
Date of Last Action: June 16, 2020
New Jersey
State Status: Enacted into Law
Senate Bill 971: “New Jersey Fair Play Act; allows collegiate student-athletes to earn compensation for use of name, image, or likeness.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: September 14, 2020
Effective Date: September 14, 2020
New Mexico
State Status: Enacted into Law
Senate Bill 94: “Student Athlete Endorsement Act”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: March 14, 2021
Effective Date: July 1, 2021
New York
State Status: Enacted into Law
Senate Bill 5891: “An act to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the ‘New York collegiate athletic participation compensation act’”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: November 21, 2022
Effective Date: January 1, 2023
North Carolina
State Status: Enacted into Law
Executive Order: “POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS’ RESPONSIBILITIES REGARDING NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS COMPENSATION OF STUDENT-ATHLETES”
Order Status: Enacted into Law
Issued / Effective Date: July 2, 2021
North Dakota
State Status: No Known NIL Legislation
Ohio
State Status: Enacted into Law
Executive Order: “Establishing the Duties of Colleges and Universities as to Name, Image, and Likeness Compensation of Student-Athletes”
Order Status: Enacted into Law
Issued Date: June 28, 2021
Effective Date: July 1, 2021
Oklahoma
State Status: Enacted into Law with New Pending Legislation
Senate Bill 840: “Collegiate athletics; modifying provisions in the Student Athlete Name, Image and Likeness Rights Act. Emergency.”
Bill Status: Pending
Introduction Date: February 6, 2023
Senate Bill 48: Revised Uniform Athlete Agents Act.
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: May 28, 2021
Effective Date: May 28, 2021
Oregon
State Status: Enacted into Law
Senate Bill 1505: “Relating to student athletes; creating new provisions; amending ORS 702.005; and declaring an emergency.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: March 11, 2022
Effective Date: July 1, 2022
Senate Bill 5: “Relating to student athletes; and declaring an emergency.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: July 7, 2021
Effective Date: July 7, 2021
Pennsylvania
State Status: Enacted into Law
House Bill 2633: “An Act amending Title 5 (Athletics and Sports) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, extensively revising the Uniform Athlete Agents Act; providing for intercollegiate athletics; making related and inconsistent repeals; and making an editorial change.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: November 3, 2022
Effective Date: November 3, 2022
Senate Bill 381: “…in miscellaneous provisions relating to institutions of higher education, further providing for Public Higher Education Funding Commission; providing for intercollegiate athletics…”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: June 30, 2021
Effective Date: June 30, 2021
Rhode Island
State Status: No Pending or Current Legislation
House Bill 6673: “Compensation For Students Participating In Intercollegiate Athletics”
Bill Status: Dead
Date of Last Action: July 1, 2022
South Carolina
State Status: Enacted into law through repealed or suspended legislation
Senate Bill 685: “Athletics”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: May 1, 2021
Effective Date: July 1, 2021
South Dakota
State Status: No Known NIL Legislation
Tennessee
State Status: Enacted into Law
House Bill 2249 / Senate Bill 2392 (Cross-filed): “AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to higher education.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: April 20, 2022
Effective Date: April 20, 2022
House Bill 1351: “AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to higher education.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: May 11, 2021
Effective Date: January 1, 2022
Texas
State Status: Enacted into Law with New Pending Legislation
House Bill 1802: “Relating to the compensation and professional representation of certain students participating in University Interscholastic League activities or in intercollegiate athletic programs at certain institutions of higher education.”
Bill Status: Pending
Introduction Date: January 30, 2023
Senate Bill 1385: “AN ACT relating to the compensation and professional representation of student athletes participating in intercollegiate athletic programs at certain institutions of higher education.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: June 14, 2021
Effective Date: July 1, 2021
Utah
State Status: No Known NIL Legislation
Vermont
State Status: No Pending or Current Legislation
Senate Bill 328: “An act relating to student athlete compensation”
Bill Status: Dead
Date of Last Action: January 21, 2020
Virginia
State Status: Enacted into Law
Senate Bill 223: “Intercollegiate athletics; student-athletes, compensation and representation for name, image, etc.”
Bill Status: Enacted into Law
Passed Date: April 11, 2022
Effective Date: Effective Immediately
Washington
State Status: No Pending or Current Legislation
Senate Bill 5942: “An act relating to the uniform college athlete name, image, or likeness act.”
Bill Status: Dead
Date of Last Action: March 10, 2022
West Virginia
State Status: No Pending or Current Legislation
House Bill 2583: “Authorizing student athletes to be compensated for use of their name, image or likeness”
Bill Status: Dead
Date of Last Action: February 17, 2021
Wisconsin
State Status: No Known NIL Legislation
Wyoming
State Status: No Known NIL Legislation
Is there any new or previous legislation missing from this resource? Let us know at jfalk@splc.org with the the state and bill number.