Nebraska Poised to Allow College Athletes to be Paid for the Use of Their Names, Images, and Likenesses
Nebraska’s unicameral legislature took a significant step today toward passing a bill that would allow college athletes in Nebraska to make money from the use of their names, images, and likenesses. The bill received initial approval by a vote of 36 (in favor), 4 (against), 8 (present), and 1 (excused). The bill only needed 25 votes in favor to pass.
Under Nebraska’s legislative system, the bill will move on to one more round of floor debate and two more votes by legislators before going to Governor Pete Ricketts. If the bill is signed by the governor, it allows Nebraska universities and colleges to implement the law anytime after passage, with a required implementation date of July 1, 2023. As a result, Nebraska’s college athletes could be allowed to enter into endorsement deals with third parties as soon as this summer.
If the law passes, Nebraska would join California as the two states with laws allowing college athletes to profit from their names, images, and likenesses. California’s law does not go into effect until January 1, 2023. Twenty-two other states have pending college athlete name, image, and likeness bills, a number of which would be effective on July 1, 2020 if passed.
Like California’s law and the other pending bills, Nebraska’s bill requires college athletes and universities to take a number of steps to be in compliance with the law. In addition, the laws allow college athletes to hire counsel to assist with compliance and the negotiation of contracts with the third parties who will be allowed to pay the athletes.
More About Kennyhertz Perry’s Collegiate Sports Practice Group
A college athlete’s need for an experienced attorney has never been higher. From assistance with eligibility, scholarship, and transfer issues, to advice and representation relating to the newly emerging name, image, and likeness laws and legislation, college athletes often need an attorney to advocate on their behalf and to assist and advise on these types of issues during an important time in their life.
The team at Kennyhertz Perry is uniquely suited to guide college athletes through all of these types of issues with respect to the multitude of rules and laws set forth by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the National Federation of High School Athletic Associations (NFHSAA).
The attorneys at Kennyhertz Perry all have years of experience advocating for clients in high stakes matters and advising them on related issues. In addition, and most importantly, attorney Mit Winter is a former Division I scholarship basketball player with extensive experience working on collegiate athletics legal matters. Mit has first-hand experience in understanding the pressures and demands faced by college athletes both on and off the field, and has represented a number of sports-related clients in his practice, including the Big 12 Conference, Conference USA, the NCAA, and the NFL.
Mit is widely regarded as an expert in collegiate sports law and frequently writes on these legal issues. He is also the founder and chairman of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association’s Sports and Entertainment Law Committee and serves as a Regional Captain in the states of Kansas and Missouri for the Sports Lawyers Association’s (“SLA”) Outreach Committee.
Kennyhertz Perry’s college sports practice provides representation to those who are seeking an attorney with expertise to advise them on the myriad legal concerns prevalent in college athletics today. To learn more about the firm, visit kennyhertzperry.com.
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