NIL SIGNING - FRANKFORT - 3-8-2022 (2).jfif

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- College athletes in Kentucky can now officially get paid for their name, image and likeness.

College athletes have been getting paid since last summer, when Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order. But he made it official Wednesday, signing a new state law in Frankfort surrounded by some of Kentucky's biggest names in sports.

"We're here today to celebrate teamwork, cooperation and the flawless execution of a game plan, something some of the folks in this room know about a lot better than I do," Beshear said.

From the early stages of this legislation, all-stars including University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari, University of Louisville football coach Scott Satterfield, Louisville women's basketball coach Jeff Walz and Bellarmine University basketball coach Scott Davenport have supported the bill.

"They went deep in, 'How do we protect these young people but how do we give them the opportunity?'" Calipari said. "The flexibility in this bill, like wow, because things are moving and they're moving fast."

Calipari went on to discuss how the bill provides more than a potential profit for athletes.

"You now have an opportunity not just to make money," he said. "To be trained, to learn as you move forward."

Lawmakers said it's past time for college athletes to capitalize on the revenue they bring to their schools and fairly compensate them.

In a bipartisan effort, legislators wrapped up work on the bill Monday, and it passed the House 89-2.

"These student-athletes who work so hard at their sport, who can't have another job when they're in college, have the ability to control their name, image, and likeness, have the ability to earn some extra money," State Sen. Morgan McGarvey said.

Sen. Max Wise agreed.

"It allows flexibility for universities and student athletes to work together," he said. "It will provide a framework for life skills, for financial literacy."

Kentucky's law provides protection to athletes and schools and allows universities to adopt NIL-related policies for their school's athletes.

University of Louisville women's basketball coach Jeff Walz was a proponent of the bill as well.

"The biggest misconception is everybody thinks student-athletes are just going to get, get, get," Walz said. "Now, it also gives them a chance to give back to the community."

Walz has witnessed the impact of NIL firsthand. Cardinal guard Haley Van Lith has profited from several deals this year and used some of the money to give back to the community in various ways.

"It's something she wanted to do, and her teammates wanted to help her," Walz said. "It's something she couldn't have done before because she wouldn't have been able to go out and get the companies to give."

Beshear praised the teamwork of lawmakers and urged that to continue.

"A lot of our student-athletes have gained a lot from this, and it's causing them to build better connections and get their name out more," he said.

The law is in place immediately following the governor's signature due to an emergency clause in the bill.

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