
NIL Legislation Tracker
NIL Legislation Tracker
Your Guide to Federal and State Laws on Name, Image and Likeness Rules for NCAA Athletes
Federal NIL Bills | States that have Passed NIL Laws | States that have Proposed NIL Bills |
Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr attorneys are following the rapidly changing landscape affecting how NCAA athletes can profit from the use of their name, image or likeness (NIL). In January 2021, the NCAA halted its vote to amend its rules to give student-athletes more control over the use of their NIL for commercial purposes — a practice that was previously largely prohibited by the NCAA. Despite this, both federal and state efforts remained underway. On June 30, 2021, just one day before several state NIL laws were slated to go into effect and following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Alston, the NCAA’s Board of Directors voted to approve an interim NIL policy that permits all NCAA student-athletes to profit from their NIL. The policy confirms that student-athletes can use “professional services providers” for NIL activities, that student-athletes should report NIL activities consistent with state law or school and conference requirements, and that schools and conferences are free to adopt their own policies to build upon the framework provided in the interim policy. The interim policy will remain in effect until federal legislation or new NCAA rules are adopted.
Although student-athletes everywhere can now profit from their NIL, state laws remain an important piece to the puzzle – under the interim policy, student-athletes who attend school in a state with an active NIL law must comply with that law, in addition to any institution and conference policies (students who attend school in a state without active NIL legislation must only comply with any institution and conference policies).
This tracker includes a list of passed state laws, as well as pending legislation, which student-athletes and institutions should continue to monitor. We also highlight federal efforts to date. We regularly update the tracker to include the latest developments.
Federal NIL Bills
There have been several federal bills introduced by both Republicans and Democrats, and, in some instances, on a bipartisan basis. Beyond some initial media attention when first introduced, these bills have not gained much traction. However, the most recent NIL bill, which was introduced on February 24, 2021, suggests that there is continued interest in getting a federal law on the books.
Bill | Sponsor(s) | Status |
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Amateur Athletes Protection and Compensation Act of 2021 |
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College Athlete Bill of Rights |
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College Athlete Economic Freedom Act |
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Collegiate Athlete and Compensatory Rights Act |
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Fairness in Collegiate Athletics Act |
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Student-Athlete Equity Act |
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Student-Athlete Level Playing Field Act |
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States that have Passed NIL Laws
To date, the 29 states listed below have passed NIL laws.[1] These states have largely modeled their laws on California’s “Fair Pay to Play Act,” which was the first state NIL law enacted. Notably, the effective date of these NIL laws varies:
State | Effective Date |
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Arizona | 90 days after State Legislature adjourns |
Arkansas | January 1, 2022 |
California | January 1, 2023 |
Colorado | July 1, 2021 |
Connecticut | Original bill - July 1, 2021; Amendment permitting use of institutional marks July 1, 2022 |
Florida | July 1, 2021 |
Georgia | July 1, 2021 |
Illinois | July 1, 2021 |
Kentucky | July 1, 2021 |
Louisiana | June 10, 2022 |
Maine | March 31, 2022 |
Maryland | July 1, 2023 |
Michigan | December 31, 2022 |
Mississippi | July 1, 2021 |
Missouri | August 28, 2021 |
Montana | June 1, 2023 |
Nebraska | Permitted immediately; required no later than July 1, 2023 |
Nevada | January 1, 2022 |
New Jersey | 5th academic year after passage |
New Mexico | July 1, 2021 |
North Carolina | July 2, 2021 |
Ohio | July 1, 2021 |
Oklahoma | Permitted immediately; required no later than July 1, 2023 |
Oregon | July 1, 2021 |
Pennsylvania | Permitted immediately |
South Carolina | July 1, 2022 |
Tennessee | January 1, 2022 |
Texas | July 1, 2021 |
Virginia | July 1, 2022 |
States that have Proposed NIL Bills
While a number of states have expressed an intention to pass NIL laws, the following states actually have pending NIL legislation[1]:
Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr attorneys regularly advise colleges and universities on legal and compliance issues. If you have any questions regarding NIL legislation generally, or the NIL efforts in your specific state, please contact the atorneys below or the attorney at the Firm with whom you are regularly in contact.
Contacts



