The Wisconsin Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would provide $14.6 million annually in state funding to the University of Wisconsin-Madison athletics department, freeing up equivalent athletic revenues to support name, image, and likeness compensation for student-athletes.
The measure passed on a 17-16 vote, with 11 Republicans and 6 Democrats in favor and 7 Republicans and 9 Democrats opposed. This is the second bill of the day that broke the ‘Rule of 17,’ a tradition that requires at least 17 majority Senators to advance a bill in order to pass a measure.
Senate Bill 1075, the companion to Assembly Bill 1034, now heads to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. The Assembly approved the legislation 95-1 in February.
The bill shifts general purpose revenue to cover debt service and maintenance for athletic facilities at UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, and UW-Green Bay. UW-Madison would receive $14.6 million, with $200,000 going to UWM and UW-GB. This enables the university to use program revenues for athlete revenue-sharing and NIL payments, meeting obligations under the House v. NCAA settlement, which caps such compensation at $20.5 million annually.
The legislation also exempts NIL contracts, revenue-sharing agreements, and most financial details of athletics departments from Wisconsin’s public records law. It codifies the University of Wisconsin System’s state authorization to enter into such arrangements with student-athletes.
The measure advanced from the Joint Finance Committee last week on an 8-5 vote and from the Senate Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development on a 3-2 vote. Three Republican senators, Julian Bradley, Patrick Testin, and Rob Stafsholt, along with two Democrats, voted against it during the JFC vote. On a recent appearance on WISN’s ‘Up Front,’ Senator Chris Kapenga, a critic of breaking Senate tradition and a senator opposed to the NIL bill, said: “Historically, a majority leader does not come back if he breaks the rule of 17, so I hope (he) takes that into account.”
UW-Madison Athletics Director Chris McIntosh testified in support, stating that the funding and policy changes are necessary for the program’s competitiveness. The department supports 23 varsity sports, more than 600 student-athletes, and contributes significantly to the state’s economy.
Tuesday’s Senate action took place during one of the final floor sessions before the Legislature adjourns for the year.
