Dear Friends,

College athletes are the only Californians denied the right to their name, image, and likeness. This NCAA rule is so broad it prohibits student athletes from selling T-shirts, teaching swim lessons, monetizing You Tube videos, or accepting sponsorships from local service clubs. My bill, SB 206, would make California the first in the nation to restore that right to student athletes.

SB 206 does not make student athletes employees and doesn't require colleges to pay them. All it does is give our athletes the entrepreneurial opportunity to earn income based on their skills and talent - a right all the rest of us enjoy. And contrary to popular belief, most student athletes do not get a full scholarship. In fact, the NCAA rules even apply to non-scholarship athletes, who are covering their own college expenses.

This week, both the state Senate and the state Assembly gave SB 206 unanimous, bipartisan support. I hope you agree SB 206 is the right thing to do.

SB 206 is now on Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk awaiting his signature. You can express your support by going to www.gov.ca.gov and clicking the contact tab on the top right. From there click on "choose your subject" and you will see a drop down menu of all bills, then choose SB 206, and you can express your thoughts.

It's an honor to represent you in the state Senate.

Sincerely,

Nancy Skinner
Senator, 9th District