ATLANTA – State Representative Billy Mitchell (D-Stone Mountain) today announced that he will introduce legislation during the 2020 legislative session to allow college athletes to be compensated for the use of their name, likeness and image. The proposed legislation will be modeled after California’s “Fair Pay to Play Act,” which was recently signed into law.
“With this legislation, Georgia hereby joins a rapidly growing number of states that have filed similar legislation, or are in the process of doing so, including Florida, New York, South Carolina and Minnesota,” said Rep. Mitchell. “Not only is this an idea whose time has come, but Georgia schools would be at a decisive disadvantage when it comes to recruiting with other states that join California in implementing this act, if we fail to do the same.”
In addition to allowing student athletes to be compensated for their names, image or likeness, the proposed legislation would also allow athletes to hire agents who could procure business and sponsorship opportunities. It would further prohibit schools from removing a student athlete’s eligibility if he or she earns compensation, and it would be applied to public and private institutions. Student athletes would not be able to enter into a contract for compensation if such contract would be in conflict with the student athlete’s collegiate team contract.
Representative Billy Mitchell represents the citizens of District 88, which includes portions of DeKalb County. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2002 and currently serves on the Banks & Banking, Health & Human Services and Regulated Industries committees.
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