DES MOINES — Should college athletes be paid? That’s the question coming up at the statehouse.
It would establish a framework allowing college athletes to benefit from the use of their name, image, and likeness.
That means many college athletes could soon be financially compensated. But that doesn’t mean those students would see the money.
The bill allows universities to place all or some of that money in a trust that cannot be accessed until the student-athlete is no longer eligible to compete in college athletics.
The sponsors of the bill say it’s time, even if the NCAA won’t act.
“We’re now to the point where they still haven’t acted and we have to do something to protect the student athletes and so we’re going to do our part here in the Iowa legislature and Senator Zaun and I are working to, to build support to do that,” Democratic State Senator Nate Boulton said.
“I’m all ears if they want to sit down and talk to us or give us some advice or what direction they’re going maybe legislation will be required. But I think it’s exciting,” Republican State Senator Brad Zaun of Urbandale said.
A news release from the Iowa Senate says this is just one of many similar bills being considered by states across the country.
California’s governor signed a bill into law last September, known as the Fair Pay to Play Act, doing essentially what Iowa’s proposed bill aims to do.
Right now, Iowa’s proposed bill has only been introduced to the senate education committee, meaning it has a long way to go before becoming law.