Prohibiting postsecondary educational institutions from using or commingling state moneys or student fees to compensate a collegiate student athlete for the use of the athlete's name, image, likeness rights or athletic reputation.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Prohibits using state funds or student fees to pay or support compensation to collegiate student athletes for NIL or athletic reputation.

Died in Committee

#collegesanduniversities #statefinance

What HB 2800 Would Do

Prohibits the use of state funds and student fees to pay or support compensation to collegiate student athletes for the use of their name, image, likeness, or athletic reputation.

Applies to all postsecondary educational institutions in Kansas, including public and private institutions and not-for-profit corporations controlled by an institution for athletic purposes.

Main Purpose and Intent

To ensure that state money and student fee revenue are not used for NIL (name, image, likeness) or athletic reputation payments to student-athletes.

Establishes a financial firewall between public/state funding and agreements or arrangements that compensate athletes for NIL or reputational rights.

Key Provisions and Changes

Section 1 (Financial prohibition)

State moneys appropriated to postsecondary institutions cannot be expended or commingled with funds used to compensate a collegiate student athlete for NIL or athletic reputation.

Section 1 (Student fees)

Student activity fees, special fees, and other student-charged revenues cannot be charged, collected, expended, or commingled with funds used to compensate a collegiate student athlete for NIL or athletic reputation.

Definitions (Section 1, subsection (c))

“Collegiate student athlete” or “athlete”: An individual participating in varsity intercollegiate athletics with eligibility established by a collegiate athletic association and enrolled in required courses.
“Postsecondary educational institution”: Includes technical colleges, state universities, community colleges, private institutions, and not-for-profit entities controlled by an institution for operating its athletic program.
“State moneys”: As defined in existing law (K.S.A. 75-4201 and amendments).
“Student fees”: Includes student activity fees, special fees, and other fees charged to students and revenue from those fees.

Section 2

Effective date: The act takes effect upon publication in the statute book.

Who Would Be Affected

All Kansas postsecondary educational institutions receiving state appropriations or charging student fees, including:

Board of Regents institutions (e.g., University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Wichita State University, Fort Hays State University, Emporia State University, Pittsburg State University, etc.).
Private and not-for-profit institutions operating athletic programs (as defined by the bill).

Specifically targets financial flows related to NIL or athlete reputation compensation.

Fiscal and Procedural Notes

Fiscal Impact (as per the Department of Budget note)

The Board of Regents and listed universities indicated no direct fiscal effect or that any effect would be absorbed within existing resources.

Procedural history

Introduced March 18, 2026; referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.
Died in Committee on April 10, 2026 (did not advance to floor).

Practical Implications

If enacted, institutions would be required to ensure governance and accounting practices prevent using state funds or student-fee revenue to compensate student-athletes for NIL or reputation rights.

Could influence how NIL agreements are structured and funded, potentially shifting compensation arrangements to non-state funds or private sources not commingled with state or student-fee revenues.

May impact budgeting and financial reporting within athletic departments to maintain clear separation between state/student-fee funds and athlete compensation.

If you’d like, I can compare this bill to similar NIL-related restrictions in other states or provide a one-page brief for policymakers.