State Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, who represents Russell County in the Kentucky Senate, is working toward prefiling a bill in the Kentucky Legislature that would provide name, image, and likeness rights for college athletes in the state.
Governor Beshear signed an executive order that goes into effect Thursday, July 1 which allows NCAA student-athletes to profit off their name, image, and likeness through endorsement deals with outside companies. An important distinction is that money earned comes from these companies and not the school itself.
Wise is working with Senate Minority Floor Leader Morgan McGarvey to prefile a bill that will provide student-athletes NIL rights.
In a press conference Monday, Wise and McGarvey said they are monitoring legislation in other states before making decisions on fine details of the bill, but the goal remains to have the rights put into law in Kentucky. Wise and McGarvey said they worked with Beshear on the executive order, which faced some timing pressure as other states have passed legislation that goes into effect July 1. They said they plan to work with the Governor’s office on the legislation they plan to file.
“I think this is something we need to embrace, and Morgan mentioned this, this is something we could easily shy away from,” Wise said. “We could decide not to take this on, but we have to. We need to make sure to embrace this and do it in the proper way.”
Passing the bill would add a more permanent nature to the name, image, likeness rights and also more easily allow changes to be made in the future as changes with the NCAA or other states come.
Wise said he thinks the bill could have ripple effects further down from the NCAA.
“Even down on the NAIA level, as well, and in terms of how this is affecting every bit of recruiting for college football and college basketball, all those sports,” Wise said. “Even in my district with Lindsey Wilson College who just came off a banner national championship year in football; Campbellsville, a strong athletic program, as well…”
