Yet another federal bill concerning name, image, likeness reform.
The Amateur Athletes Protection and Compensation was introduced Wednesday by Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee.
The bill would allow athletes to obtain representation and sign endorsement deals. It would also create a body to oversee and adjudicate NIL in conjunction with the Federal Trade Commission.
Additional provisions:
- Athletes could enter professional league drafts and then return to school if things don’t work out.
- Schools would have extra obligations to cover athlete medical expenses and must pay scholarships until athletes gets their degrees.
- Athletes could transfer schools once without having to sit out a year.
- Athletes cannot be considered employees.
Sen. Moran's bill preempts varying state NIL laws; however, it does not grant the NCAA antitrust protection from legal entanglements tied to NIL.
The clock keeps ticking..... July 1 remains the date when a Florida law permitting college athletes to be paid for their NIL takes effect — whereupon recruiting chaos ensues. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who also introduced the College Athlete Bill of Rights, recently said Congress may not pass a law until that deadline.