Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a measure that will allow Florida colleges and universities to help steer endorsement deals toward student-athletes.
The House and Senate unanimously approved the bill (HB 7B) during a special legislative session last week. The bill repeals a prohibition in Florida鈥檚 athlete-pay law that prohibited colleges and universities from causing 鈥渃ompensation to be directed鈥� to athletes.
Supporters say the change will help Florida schools be more competitive in recruiting against counterparts in other states that do not have such a restriction.
鈥淚 recognize the importance of the recruiting process and the fact that our current law would put us behind other states for recruiting some top-quality athletes to our schools,鈥� Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, said Thursday in an interview with The News Service of Florida, on the day Gov. DeSantis signed it into law.
The measure also is designed to bolster financial-literacy requirements, including a requirement that schools conduct 鈥渆ntrepreneurship workshops鈥� for athletes before graduation.
