Antani Amendment Added to State Budget to Legalize College Athletes Earning Compensation from their Name, Image, and Likeness with effective date of July 1, 2021

COLUMBUS – Today, the Conference Committee on House Bill 110, the state budget, voted to include an amendment legalizing college athletes earning compensation from their name, image, and likeness, with the amendment going into effect July 1. The amendment reflects the language in Senate Bill 187 sponsored by State Senator Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg). Once the Conference Committee votes the report out of the committee, it will proceed to the full House and Senate for a vote, and then to the Governor’s desk for his signature or veto. “As I said, I was pursuing all options to get legalization of name, image, and likeness done by July 1,” Antani said. “Putting it in the budget with an effective date of July 1 does that. This is a huge victory for name, image, and likeness rights. I am hopeful the bill is passed by the full House and Senate.” The amendment prohibits any college, university, or intercollegiate athletic association from preventing a student from participating in athletics or otherwise punishing them as a result of earning this compensation. Under the amendment, student athletes will be permitted to obtain professional representation and enter into contracts for endorsements. The student is required to inform their college or university of contracts they enter into. The amendment does not require universities to enable these opportunities for their athletes and athletes will be prohibited from entering into contracts where they will be associated with marijuana, alcohol, tobacco, or casinos.