§70-820.27. Restrictions on collegiate athletic associations —

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A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Liability immunity for postsecondary institution employees.

A. A collegiate athletic association shall not and shall not authorize its member institutions to:

1. Prevent a student athlete at a postsecondary institution from earning compensation for the use of his or her name, image, or likeness;

2. Penalize a student athlete or prevent a student athlete from full participation in an intercollegiate sport because he or she obtains professional representation or receives assistance with services associated with name, image, or likeness activities including with contracts or other legal matters from an individual, entity, or a postsecondary institution; or

3. Allow compensation earned by a student athlete for the use of his or her name, image, or likeness or athletic reputation to affect the amount, duration, or renewal of or eligibility for any athletic grant-in-aid or other institutional scholarship; provided, however, compensation earned by a student athlete for the use of his or her name, image, or likeness or athletic reputation may be used for the calculation of income for determining eligibility for need- based financial aid.

B. A collegiate athletic association shall not and shall not authorize its member institutions to:

1. Prevent a postsecondary institution from participation in intercollegiate athletics because a student athlete in attendance has previously earned or intends to earn compensation for the use of his or her name, image, or likeness;

2. Entertain a complaint, open an investigation, or take any other adverse action against a postsecondary institution or an employee or student athlete of a postsecondary institution for engaging in any activity protected in the Student Athlete Name, Image and Likeness Rights Act or for involvement in student athlete name, image, or likeness activities; or

3. Penalize a postsecondary institution or an employee or student athlete of a postsecondary institution because an individual or entity whose purpose includes supporting or benefitting the postsecondary institution or its athletic programs violates the collegiate athletic association’s rules or regulations with regard to student athlete name, image, or likeness activities.

C. No postsecondary institution’s officers or employees, including athletics coaching staff, shall be liable for any damages to a student athlete’s ability to earn compensation for the use of the student athlete’s name, image, or likeness resulting from decisions and actions routinely taken in the course of intercollegiate athletics. Added by Laws 2023, c. 315, § 6, emerg. eff. May 26, 2023. Amended by Laws 2024, c. 85, § 3, emerg. eff. April 22, 2024.