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Bill

SB 655

Relating to prohibited student athlete name, image, and likeness agreements; providing injunctive relief and a civil penalty.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Royce West

Texas bill prohibits certain student athlete NIL agreements and authorizes injunctive relief and civil penalties for violations to protect athletes from exploitative contract terms.

Referred to Education K-16
#amusements #games #sports(i0034) #business&commerce--general(i0050) #civilremedies&liabilities(i0065) #education--higher--athletics(i0256) #financial--general(i0365)
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Bill Summary · SB 655

Legislative bill overview

SB 655 prohibits student athletes from entering into name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreements that contain specified restrictive terms or conditions. The bill establishes injunctive relief and civil penalties as enforcement mechanisms against violations of these restrictions.

Why is this important

NIL agreements have become a significant revenue source for student athletes since NCAA rules were relaxed in 2021, but unregulated agreements can include exploitative terms that disadvantage young athletes. This bill attempts to protect student athletes from potentially unfair contractual arrangements while they are in school, addressing power imbalances between athletes and companies or institutions.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope ambiguity: The bill references "specified prohibited terms" but the actual restricted language isn't detailed in available summaries, leaving uncertainty about what agreements would actually be illegal
  • Enforceability questions: It's unclear who enforces these prohibitions and whether civil penalties would be sufficient deterrent versus creating litigation burdens on students
  • Competitive disadvantage: Strict restrictions on Texas student athletes' NIL deals could disadvantage them versus peers in other states with looser regulations, potentially affecting recruitment

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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