Halpin-Backed Legislation for Fairness for Student Athletes Passes House

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Student athletes will receive a fair share of the revenue colleges make off their likeness and performance under legislation supported by state Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, which recently passed the Illinois House of Representatives with strong support.

“College sports rake in billions of dollars every year, mostly due to the long hours of hard work put in by dedicated student athletes,” Halpin said. “These exceptional kids deserve fair compensation for their time and efforts. Student athletes help sell out 40,000-seat stadiums and have their faces and names used for advertising, and they should have a share of what they’ve done so much to create.”

Halpin is sponsoring House Bill 3904, the Student Athlete Endorsement Act, which allows student athletes at Illinois colleges and universities to receive a share of the revenue schools make from using the students’ names and images in print, on television and in other media. Additionally, college athletes would have the option to seek professional representation to ensure their rights are protected. The legislation passed the state House with strong support and will be considered by the state Senate in the coming weeks.

This legislation follows a recent court ruling which stated the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) could not prevent payments to student athletes without violating anti-trust laws.

“We’re sending a negative message to the next generation of students if we let this go on,” Halpin said. “Right now, we’re essentially allowing employees to work for no wages. I’m backing this legislation because I want our kids to know that fair work will always get fair pay.”