Bill to Pay Student Athletes Passes Education Committee Unanimously

SB 20-123 allows for compensation and legal representation

DENVER, CO – SB 20-123 to pay student athletes passed the Senate Education Committee unanimously today. The bill, sponsored by Senators Rhonda Fields and Jeff Bridges, would allow student athletes to receive compensation when their identity is used.

“This bill is all about doing what's best for the students,” said Senator Fields (D-Aurora). “Student athletes are waking up early in the morning, training for hours all while maintaining a full schedule of classes and good grades — and they deserve to be fairly compensated for that.”

"This is about the Colorado values of fairness and opportunity," said Sen. Jeff Bridges (D-Littleton). "Universities and the NCAA make hundreds of millions of dollars from the efforts of our student athletes. They deserve the right to control the use of their own name, image and likeness."

The bill establishes college athletes' rights to earn compensation from the use of the student's name, image, or likeness, and allows for them to obtain professional and legal representation. Additional information about SB20-123 can be found here.