South Florida legislator proposes changes to state NIL law

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida. A South Florida legislator has filed a bill that would expand the state’s name, likeness, and likeness law for student athletes.

The bill, filed earlier this month by Rep. Chip LaMarca, R-Lighthouse Point, would allow the university or college to be more involved in the process and remove the phrase “causing compensation” from the current law.

HB 99 will also provide student-athlete support services, allowing schools to help with things like contract review, tax preparation, and financial planning.

Under current law, student-athletes can only receive compensation through third parties not affiliated with the school.

One example of this is Rising spear, an organization that helps provide NIL opportunities for student-athletes at Florida State University. Although not affiliated with the university, its advisory board consists of several former Florida State legends in various sports, including 1993 Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward and former women’s basketball coach Sue Semrau.

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Alligator Collectivewhich is a version of the University of Florida, was in the headlines recently amid the Jayden Rashada debacle.

Rashad, who was originally sent to Miami before signing with Florida last month, sought release from his letter of intent to play for the Gators after funding a $13 million NIL deal brokered by the Gator Collective reportedly fell through.

HB 99 does not allow for direct compensation between an institution and a student-athlete, but does give higher education workers funds “to facilitate the deal,” Lamarca told WPTV.

Regarding Rashada’s failed NIL deal, Lamarca said that he felt there was no “institutional involvement” in it.

Lamarck, who helped develop the state’s current NIL law, said Florida is now at a disadvantage as the NCAA allows schools to play a more active role in connecting student-athletes with NIL opportunities.

The bill has already passed through the Subcommittee on Higher Education and the Workforce and has been referred to the Committee on Education and Employment. Lamarck said it would then be referred to the Commerce Committee before being presented in the House of Representatives.

LaMarca said Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, have shown support for the revised legislation, which will take effect immediately after the legislation is passed.

Phelan M. Ebenhak/AP

“This is not a party issue. This is not a bipartisan issue,” Lamarck said. “It’s really a non-partisan issue.”

The only opposition Lamarck said he saw came from “die-hard traditionalist American football fans”.

Otherwise, according to him, “there is almost no enemy.”

After all, Lamarck said, his goal is not to fix college athletics, but to “make it equal for everyone.”