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Ohio sponsor seeks to bar NIL contracts that extend past athletes’ eligibility
Summary
Representative Stewart told the Senate Judiciary Committee that House Bill 184 would prevent name, image and likeness (NIL) deals from binding student-athletes beyond their collegiate eligibility and would add oversight of athlete agents; the bill had unanimous House support and backers including the NFL Players Association and Ohio State.
Representative Stewart, sponsor of House Bill 184, told the Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee that the measure would stop name, image and likeness agreements from extending beyond a student-athlete’s eligibility.
"This legislation represents a significant step forward in ensuring fairness and protecting the rights of intercollegiate athletes in Ohio," Representative Stewart said during sponsor testimony, adding that the bill "ensures that NIL contracts with student athletes cannot extend beyond their eligibility to participate in college athletics."
The bill would prohibit NIL contracts that continue after a player’s collegiate eligibility ends and would add oversight of athlete agents to prevent contracts that unreasonably bind an athlete into their professional career. Stewart cited a recent Ohio dispute involving Marvin Harrison Jr. as an example of the type of contract the bill seeks to prevent: "there was a dispute involving an NIL deal that he had where that NIL company claimed that the term of that contract extended beyond collegiate eligibility," Stewart said, and that dispute affected jersey sales after he entered the NFL.
Committee members asked questions but took no formal action; the committee recorded this as the bill’s first hearing. Stewart noted the bill passed the Ohio House unanimously and said it had the support of the NFL Players Association and Ohio State University.
Supporters framed the proposal as a consumer-protection measure aimed at young athletes who may sign agreements while still teenagers. Senator Blessing offered a brief endorsement during the hearing, saying he liked the bill. Senator Kent asked whether the bill addressed existing contracts in dispute; Stewart replied that there had been instances in Ohio and that the bill is meant to prevent similar outcomes going forward.
The committee did not vote on the measure at this hearing; sponsors and committee members said they would continue to take input as the bill proceeds through the committee process.
