State lawmakers are moving along a request by the University of Hawaiʻi to use taxpayer money to help attract and pay student athletes — although pushback against the idea has been prevalent.
The request follows a ruling in a 2025 federal lawsuit over the “name, image and likeness” of college athletes. The decision allowed student-athletes to be compensated for their personal branding.
How much students can earn through NIL agreements has become more of a factor in deciding which college they attend, leading schools like UH to raise money to recruit them.
Several NIL measures are going through the state Legislature this year, including two that were heard and advanced Wednesday morning.
Senate Bill 3263 would create an NIL endowment fund, half of which would be funded by the state. UH would have to match that funding.
Critics have questioned the use of public money to pay for college sports over other state needs, whether the money will actually get students to stay at UH or improve performance, and the school’s ability to raise its share of the fund.
Sen. Donna Mercado Kim, chair of the Senate Committee on Education, told UH officials that the proposal could serve as a compromise.
“(It’s) really the fact that we're taking state dollars and using that money to help this. I've heard from a lot of constituents who are not in favor of using state dollars for NIL to give money to athletes at this point,” she said. “This is trying to balance it to give you folks some startup so you can start to raise the funding. But again, it will depend upon how much money that the university can raise.”
State lawmakers also want more transparency from UH, including how much individual athletes are making. Officials have refused to share that information, citing concerns about student privacy.
UH had initially asked for $5 million for the measure, but reduced it to $1 million to try for quicker access to funds. The university said it’s raised $1.6 million of a $3 million goal this year on its own.
Meanwhile, House Bill 2384 would direct UH to adopt NIL rules and reporting requirements. It would also ban students from entering into agreements involving gambling, adult entertainment, tobacco and similar industries — and it would set aside NIL money for the next fiscal year. UH is asking for $5 million.
While some of the criticism of NIL in Hawaiʻi focuses on paying out-of-state students with taxpayer money to play sports at UH, some testifying in support of HB 2384 suggested it benefits residents, too.
Robyn Ah Mow, head coach of the UH women’s volleyball team, said, “ My family wasn't wealthy and college wasn't financially realistic for us, but volleyball opened doors for me to attend college after graduating from McKinley High School. Without the opportunity to excel in volleyball, my life would've definitely gone a different direction.”
She added, “College athletics is different now, and we need to make sure we can continue to be competitive in order to offer the same opportunities that I received to our future generations.”
UH officials said about 30% of its student athletes are Hawaiʻi residents.
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