The Florida House of Representatives on Friday night "gave the final legislative approval of a bill that would help college athletes in the state make money from their name, image and likeness, beginning July 1, 2021," according to Steve Berkowitz of USA TODAY. The House’s action -- by a 98-14 vote -- "sends the measure to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who announced in October that he supports such a proposal." The Senate "approved the bill earlier this week by a 37-2 margin." If DeSantis signs the bill, Florida "will join California in having this type of a law -- but Florida’s would take effect 18 months before California’s." Meanwhile, Colorado’s legislature has "approved an NIL bill that is awaiting action from Gov. Jared Polis; it would take effect Jan. 1, 2023." Nebraska’s single-chamber legislature has "voted in favor of such a bill twice, moving the measure to a final vote," while lawmakers in more than 20 other states are "considering NIL bills." As with the California law, Florida’s bill would "allow athletes to have agents or lawyers help them secure NIL deals." However, Florida’s bill has a "number of provisions that are not in the California law" (USA TODAY, 3/13).
