Bill Text: TX SB1385 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Enrolled


Bill Title: Relating to the compensation and professional representation of student athletes participating in intercollegiate athletic programs at certain institutions of higher education.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2021-06-14 - Effective on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 1, 2021 [SB1385 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-SB1385-Enrolled.html
 
 
  S.B. No. 1385
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the compensation and professional representation of
  student athletes participating in intercollegiate athletic
  programs at certain institutions of higher education.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  The legislature finds and declares the
  following:
               (1)  intercollegiate athletics are an essential part of
  the fabric of this state;
               (2)  the competitive integrity of intercollegiate
  athletics is of vital importance;
               (3)  the United States Congress has failed to act to
  provide uniform guidance to the states on the matter of
  intercollegiate athletes receiving compensation in exchange for
  the use of the athlete's name, image, or likeness; and
               (4)  the United States Congress must act on this matter
  to ensure the competitive integrity of intercollegiate athletics.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 51.9246 to read as follows:
         Sec. 51.9246.  COMPENSATION AND PROFESSIONAL REPRESENTATION
  OF STUDENT ATHLETES PARTICIPATING IN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC
  PROGRAMS. (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Athlete agent" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 2051.001, Occupations Code.
               (2)  "General academic teaching institution" and
  "private or independent institution of higher education" have the
  meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
               (3)  "Honor code" means a set of rules or principles
  governing an academic community to which a student agrees to abide
  when attending an institution to which this section applies.
               (4)  "Institutional contract" means a contract between
  an institution to which this section applies or its designated
  representative and an external party that includes a sponsorship
  agreement governing the use of the institution's trademarks in
  connection with athletics.
               (5)  "Team contract" means a contract between a student
  athlete and an institution to which this section applies and
  includes any rules or expectations of the institution's athletic
  department or head coach that require a student athlete's
  compliance as a condition under the contract of participation as a
  member of the intercollegiate athletic program.
         (b)  This section applies only to:
               (1)  a general academic teaching institution; or
               (2)  a private or independent institution of higher
  education.
         (c)  An institution to which this section applies may not:
               (1)  adopt or enforce a policy, requirement, standard,
  or limitation that prohibits or otherwise prevents a student
  athlete participating in an intercollegiate athletic program at the
  institution from:
                     (A)  earning compensation for the use of the
  student athlete's name, image, or likeness when the student athlete
  is not engaged in official team activities, as that term is defined
  by the institution; or
                     (B)  obtaining professional representation,
  including representation by an attorney licensed to practice law in
  this state, for contracts or other legal matters relating to the use
  of the student athlete's name, image, or likeness; or
               (2)  provide or solicit a prospective student athlete
  of an intercollegiate athletic program at the institution with
  compensation in relation to the prospective student athlete's name,
  image, or likeness.
         (d)  A scholarship, grant, or similar financial assistance
  awarded to a student athlete by an institution to which this section
  applies that covers the student athlete's cost of attendance at the
  institution is not compensation for purposes of this section.
         (e)  A student athlete participating in an intercollegiate
  athletic program at an institution to which this section applies
  may not be disqualified from eligibility for a scholarship, grant,
  or similar financial assistance awarded by the institution because
  the student athlete:
               (1)  earns compensation from the use of the student
  athlete's name, image, or likeness when the student athlete is not
  engaged in official team activities; or
               (2)  obtains professional representation, including
  representation by an attorney licensed to practice law in this
  state, for contracts or other legal matters relating to use of the
  student athlete's name, image, or likeness.
         (f)  An institution to which this section applies may not
  prescribe a team contract for an intercollegiate athletic program
  that prohibits or otherwise prevents a student athlete from using
  the student athlete's name, image, or likeness for a commercial
  purpose when the student athlete is not engaged in official team
  activities.
         (g)  A student athlete participating in an intercollegiate
  athletic program at an institution to which this section applies:
               (1)  shall, before entering into the contract, disclose
  to the institution, in the manner prescribed by the institution,
  any proposed contract the student athlete may sign for use of the
  student athlete's name, image, or likeness;
               (2)  may not enter into a contract for the use of the
  student athlete's name, image, or likeness if:
                     (A)  any provision of the contract conflicts with
  a provision of the student athlete's team contract, a provision of
  an institutional contract of the institution, a policy of the
  athletic department of the institution, or a provision of the honor
  code of the institution;
                     (B)  the compensation for the use of the student
  athlete's name, image, or likeness is provided:
                           (i)  in exchange for athletic performance or
  attendance at the institution;
                           (ii)  by the institution;
                           (iii)  in exchange for property owned by the
  institution or for providing an endorsement while using
  intellectual property or other property owned by the institution;
  or
                           (iv)  in exchange for an endorsement of
  alcohol, tobacco products, e-cigarettes or any other type of
  nicotine delivery device, anabolic steroids, sports betting,
  casino gambling, a firearm the student athlete cannot legally
  purchase, or a sexually oriented business as defined in Section
  243.002, Local Government Code; or
                     (C)  the duration of the contract extends beyond
  the student athlete's participation in the intercollegiate
  athletic program;
               (3)  is not considered an employee of the institution
  based on the student athlete's participation in the intercollegiate
  athletic program; and
               (4)  may earn compensation from selling the student
  athlete's autograph in a manner that does not otherwise conflict
  with a provision of this section.
         (h)  An institution to which this section applies that
  identifies a provision in a contract disclosed to the institution
  by a student athlete under Subsection (g)(1) that conflicts with a
  provision in the student athlete's team contract, a provision of an
  institutional contract of the institution, a policy of the athletic
  department of the institution, or a provision of the honor code of
  the institution shall promptly disclose the conflict to the student
  athlete or the student athlete's representative, if applicable.  
  The student athlete or the student athlete's representative is
  responsible for resolving the conflict not later than the 10th day
  after the date of the disclosure.
         (i)  An institution to which this section applies shall
  require a student athlete participating in an intercollegiate
  athletic program at the institution to attend a financial literacy
  and life skills workshop at the beginning of the student's first and
  third academic years at the institution. The workshop must be at
  least five hours in duration and include information on financial
  aid, debt management, time management, budgeting, and academic
  resources available to the student athlete. The institution may
  not during the workshop allow any provider of financial products or
  services to:
               (1)  market, advertise, or refer the provider's
  services to a student athlete; or
               (2)  solicit a student athlete to use the provider's
  services.
         (j)  No individual, corporate entity, or other organization
  may:
               (1)  enter into any arrangement with a prospective
  student athlete relating to the prospective student athlete's name,
  image, or likeness prior to their enrollment in an institution of
  higher education; or
               (2)  use inducements of future name, image, and
  likeness compensation arrangement to recruit a prospective student
  athlete to any institution of higher education.
         (k)  Nothing in this section may be construed as permitting
  an athlete agent to take any action prohibited under Section
  2051.351, Occupations Code.
         SECTION 3.  Section 51.9246(f), Education Code, as added by
  this Act, applies only to a contract entered into, modified, or
  renewed on or after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect July 1, 2021, if it
  receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
  house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  
  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary to take effect July
  1, 2021, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1385 passed the Senate on
  April 22, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2, one
  present not voting; and that the Senate concurred in House
  amendment on May 28, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2,
  one present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1385 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 23, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 117,
  Nays 27, one present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor
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