© 2024 All Rights reserved WUSF
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

House Panels To Hold Joint Workshop On Collegiate Athlete Pay

The NCAA logo is painted alongside the visitor dugout at Olsen Field before the start of a NCAA college baseball super regional tournament game between TCU and Texas A&M, Friday, June 10, 2016, in College Station, Texas.
SAM CRAFT
/
AP Photo
The NCAA logo is painted alongside the visitor dugout at Olsen Field before the start of a NCAA college baseball super regional tournament game between TCU and Texas A&M, Friday, June 10, 2016, in College Station, Texas.
The NCAA logo is painted alongside the visitor dugout at Olsen Field before the start of a NCAA college baseball super regional tournament game between TCU and Texas A&M, Friday, June 10, 2016, in College Station, Texas.
Credit SAM CRAFT / AP Photo
/
AP Photo
The NCAA logo is painted alongside the visitor dugout at Olsen Field before the start of a NCAA college baseball super regional tournament game between TCU and Texas A&M, Friday, June 10, 2016, in College Station, Texas.

A day before the 2020 legislative session kicks off, three House committees will meet to discuss the idea of allowing collegiate athletes to get paid for their name and likeness.

On Monday, the chamber’s Commerce, Education and Judiciary panels are set to hold a joint workshop on the subject. House Minority Leader Kionne McGhee has a bill waiting for its first hearing that would allow NCAA athletes to get paid, and there’s a companion bill in the Senate.

Governor Ron DeSantis has endorsed the idea:

"There’s no other part of college where they can use your name, image and likeness without your consent, or without you being able to share in that," DeSantis told reporters in October. "So, I think that there’s a way forward for that, and I think we’ve gotten good bipartisan support for that."

Meanwhile, the leaders of both chambers have different opinions on the matter. House Speaker Jose Oliva endorses it, but Senate President Bill Galvano says he has “reservations.” California passed a bill to allow collegiate athlete pay last year. Meanwhile, the NCAA’s governing board has directed its three divisions to consider updating bylaws to allow for its athletes to profit. Its goal is to have those updates in place by 2021.

Copyright 2020 WFSU. To see more, visit .

Ryan Dailey is a reporter for News Service of Florida. He previously was a reporter/producer for WFSU/Florida Public Radio.
You Count on Us, We Count on You: Donate to WUSF to support free, accessible journalism for yourself and the community.