Pennsylvania Senate sets rules on how college athletes can be compensated for name, image

The Pennsylvania Senate voted Friday to establish rules on how college athletes can be compensated for the use of their name, image and likeness.

Under the provision, student-athletes can accept endorsement opportunities and monetize their celebrity status during their personal time.

The provision was part of Senate Bill 381 which was a comprehensive budget bill that dealt with the state’s education policies. Student-athletes must use an outside agent, not tied to the university or college, for negotiation.

Compensation cannot come from the school or impact student-athlete scholarships.

Colleges and universities cannot reduce or revoke athletic scholarships based on the compensation.

Sen. Scott Martin was the prime sponsor of the bill that also received support from Sens. Robert Tomlinson, Pat Browne and Anthony Williams.

Earlier the same week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the NCAA’s rules on athlete compensation violated anti-trust laws.

The NCAA has not updated its regulations and federal law has not been passed, leaving it up to state lawmakers to pass laws outlining how student-athletes may be reimbursed for use of their name, image, and likeness.