WisconsinUW student athletes could earn from name, image, and likeness
UW student athletes could receive payment for using their name, image, or likeness, while state money would support maintenance debt at three athletic facilities.
What it does
UW student athletes could receive payment for using their name, image, or likeness and could hire professional representatives, but outside deals would need disclosure and follow UW restrictions.
Annual state funding would cover debt payments for maintenance at UW–Madison athletic facilities, Milwaukee’s Klotsche Center, and Green Bay’s soccer complex.
Argument forAllowing student athletes to use professional representatives and make outside deals could give them more control over paid endorsements, subject to listed restrictions.
Argument againstRequired disclosure and restrictions on endorsements could limit which deals student athletes may accept, including deals tied to performance or certain products.
More detail
The UW System Board of Regents may make agreements that pay student athletes for using their name, image, or likeness. UW officials may not ban certain uses or professional representation. This covers students who attend or agree to attend a UW institution and participate or agree to participate in a college athletic program. A student athlete must disclose each outside agreement before entering it. A student athlete may not sign an agreement that conflicts with UW rules or policies. A student athlete may not accept payment tied to athletic performance or endorsements involving tobacco, alcohol, gambling, banned substances, illegal activity, or another activity barred by the board. The board may not use general-purpose revenue to create or support opportunities for this compensation.
The state would set aside annual general-purpose revenue for debt payments tied to maintenance at three UW athletic facilities. The funding would cover UW–Madison intercollegiate athletic facilities, UW–Milwaukee’s Klotsche Center, and UW–Green Bay’s soccer complex. The bill text provides $14.6 million annually for UW–Madison, $200,000 annually for the Klotsche Center, and $200,000 annually for the soccer complex. The listed amounts would be placed in separate university funding categories for principal and interest costs. The funding is described as annual; the supplied text does not state a separate start or end date.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 13Partial veto failed to pass notwithstanding the objections of the Governor pursuant to Joint Rule 82Latest
- May 12Partial veto placed on calendar 5-12-2026 pursuant to Joint Rule 82 (2)(a)
- Apr 9Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Apr 9Published 4-9-2026Major
- Apr 9Report approved by the Governor Tony Evers with partial veto on 4-8-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 203Minor
- Apr 2Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026To Governor
- Mar 20Report correctly enrolled on 3-20-2026Minor
- Mar 20LRB correction
- Mar 18Received from Senate concurred inMinor
- Mar 17Ordered immediately messaged
- Vote recorded CONCURRENCE. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 17Read a third time and concurred in, Ayes 17, Noes 16Passed Senate
- Mar 17Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Mar 17Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Mar 17Read a second timeMinor
- Mar 16Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Mar 11Available for scheduling
- Vote recorded Report concurrence recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 8, Noes 5. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development, Ayes 3, Noes 2. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 11Report concurrence recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 8, Noes 5Minor
- Mar 11Executive action taken
- Mar 11Withdrawn from committee on Senate Organization and rereferred to joint committee on Finance pursuant to Senate Rule 46(2)(c)Minor
- Mar 11Available for scheduling
- Mar 11Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development, Ayes 3, Noes 2Minor
- Mar 11Executive action taken
- Mar 6Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Mar 3Public hearing held
- Feb 26Read first time and referred to committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic DevelopmentMinor
- Feb 23Received from AssemblyMinor
- Feb 19Ordered immediately messaged
- Vote recorded PASSAGE. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 19Read a third time and passed, Ayes 95, Noes 1Passed Assembly
- Feb 19Rules suspended
- Feb 19Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Feb 19Assembly Amendment 1 adoptedMajor
- Feb 19Read a second timeMinor
- Feb 18Made a special order of business at 12:07 PM on 2-19-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 14
- Feb 16Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative DallmanMinor
- Feb 12Referred to committee on RulesMinor
- Vote recorded Report passage recommended by Committee on State Affairs, Ayes 10, Noes 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 12Report passage recommended by Committee on State Affairs, Ayes 10, Noes 0Minor
- Feb 11Representative Steffen added as a coauthor
- Feb 11Executive action taken
- Feb 11Public hearing held
- Feb 10Read first time and referred to Committee on State AffairsMinor
- Feb 10Introduced by Representatives Dallman, Krug and Tittl; cosponsored by Senator LeMahieuIntroduced
EducationTaxes & BudgetEmergency Management