California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Monday legislation to allow college athletes to earn income for the first time from their names, images and likenesses.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Monday legislation to allow college athletes to earn income for the first time from their names, images and likenesses.
Interested in NCAA?
Add NCAA as an interest to stay up to date on the latest NCAA news, video, and analysis from ABC News.
The California Assembly overwhelmingly passed legislation earlier this year, a move that was praised by NBA star LeBron James.
"Colleges reap billions from student athletes but block them from earning a single dollar. That’s a bankrupt model," Newsom tweeted on Monday morning, announcing he had signed the legislation, making California "the first state to allow student athletes to profit off their name, image, and likeness."
The law, also known as the Fair Pay to Play Act, will prohibit California colleges and universities from enforcing NCAA rules preventing student-athletes from being compensated for the use of their names, images and likenesses and from endorsements and sponsorships.