WASHINGTON — Congressman Shomari Figures is helping to lead a bill to establish a national framework on student-athlete compensation.
The bipartisan legislation dubbed the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act would set federal rules for student-athletes’ ability to earn money from their name, image and likeness.
A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee will hold a markup on the NIL bill on Tuesday. Figures, D-Mobile, introduced the bill last week alongside other lawmakers, including Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-FL, and seven other representatives. Figures said the collegiate sports bill is especially relevant in Alabama.
“This bill was just an effort to help streamline efficiencies and get us to a point where we can just get back to enjoying the sports that we like,” Figures told Alabama Daily News.
The SCORE Act would codify student-athletes’ ability to receive NIL compensation. The federal guidelines would overrule any state NIL laws. Alabama does not currently have a specific NIL law after state legislation was repealed in 2022.
Student-athletes would be able to hire agents to represent them in NIL agreements. Agents would be required to register with an interstate intercollegiate college association, like the NCAA.
“This bill lays out some clear guideposts for what’s required of universities (and) what students can expect to receive from universities and conferences,” Figures told ADN.
The bill requires most Division I schools to provide student-athletes a range of services, including academic and career support, mental health programs, NIL guidance and financial literacy resources. Schools would need to provide medical and health benefits to athletes. Athletes would also receive injury-related protections and academic financial assistance.
“College athletics are a vital part of American culture, and it’s clear—from both student-athletes and universities—that a national framework is long overdue,” Bilirakis said in a statement. “The Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements Act delivers the stability, clarity and transparency that stakeholders have been calling for.”
It allows athletic associations to set parameters around student-athletes transferring between institutions, eligibility and recruitment.
College athletes would be prohibited from being employees of universities, conferences or athletic associations.
Schools or universities with high media rights revenues would not be allowed to use non-athlete student fees to help fund intercollegiate athletic programs. Other schools would be required to post publicly how student fees are used for athletics.
University of Alabama Athletic Director Greg Byrne expressed his support for the legislation in a social media post.
“Wonderful to see a bipartisan effort with the introduction of the SCORE Act that could lead to stability for college athletics,” he said.
The SEC commissioner said the legislation provides a “national solution” for athletes, coaches and universities.
“I welcome the commitment of Representative Shomari Figures to support a sustainable future for college athletics,” Greg Sankey said in a statement. “During this time of historic change, his efforts to provide clarity and stability to student-athletes, universities and the broader collegiate sports landscape are meaningful.”
Figures said he understands there is broad interest in NIL and expects the bill will continue to be improved as it’s considered in the House.
“My hope is that we can continue to try to work to make this bill the strongest it can be in terms of protections it offers for student-athletes and the clarity that it offers for universities, for conferences and for the governing sports organizations,” he said.