( Columbus, Ohio ) - After issues with amendments at the Ohio Statehouse, Gov Mike DeWine on Monday signed an executive order granting name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights to student athletes.
"The name, image, and likeness order prohibits those colleges or universities from preventing a student from participating in athletics or otherwise punishing them as a result of earning such compensation," DeWine said in an afternoon signing ceremony.
State lawmakers have been working on similar legislation with multiple bills having passed in the Ohio Senate. The Ohio House, however, ran into issues last week with an amendment banning transgender women and girls from participating in women and girls' sports. That's an amendment the governor is not in favor of.
Gov DeWine says timing of legalizing this compensation is important because of college athlete recruiting. Seventeen other states have already legalized NIL rights, and the governor says Ohio schools would be at a severe disadvantage without today's order.