Monitoring the Session

HB 3224

High School Pay Bill Also Rewrites The College NIL Law

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. David LoweRHouse 91
Why it's charged
Caption mismatch

THE TEXT

…“ninth grade or above [ prior to their enrollment in an institution of”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption speaks only of students in UIL activities. Section 2 also rewrites the college NIL statute to strike the ban on deals with prospective college athletes before enrollment, a related change the caption does not name.

Caption mismatch

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the compensation and professional representation of certain students participating in University Interscholastic League activities.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Section 2 lifts the ban on deals with prospective college athletes, from ninth grade up.

The bill bars the University Interscholastic League and the public and private high schools in it from stopping students in ninth grade or above from earning money off their name, image, or likeness outside official league activities, or from hiring an agent or lawyer for those deals. It reaches high school athletes and other UIL participants who meet grade rules, their schools, and the businesses that want to pay them, while the league must write rules banning recruiting inducements, banning endorsements of things like alcohol, tobacco, betting, and sexually oriented businesses, letting schools block deals that conflict with their honor codes, and requiring financial literacy training. It also rewrites the college NIL law so that deals with prospective college athletes, which were barred before they enrolled in college, are now allowed once the student is in ninth grade or above.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 1802 by Rep. Capriglione (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 1802 by Rep. Capriglione (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 24, 2025 and referred to the House Public Education committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3224 · 2025-02-24

SOLD BY

ITEM

relating to the compensation and professional representation of certain students participating in University Interscholastic League activities.

WHAT IT DOES

Section 2 lifts the ban on deals with prospective college athletes, from ninth grade up.

The bill bars the University Interscholastic League and the public and private high schools in it from stopping students in ninth grade or above from earning money off their name, image, or likeness outside official league activities, or from hiring an agent or lawyer for those deals. It reaches high school athletes and other UIL participants who meet grade rules, their schools, and the businesses that want to pay them, while the league must write rules banning recruiting inducements, banning endorsements of things like alcohol, tobacco, betting, and sexually oriented businesses, letting schools block deals that conflict with their honor codes, and requiring financial literacy training. It also rewrites the college NIL law so that deals with prospective college athletes, which were barred before they enrolled in college, are now allowed once the student is in ninth grade or above.

CHARGES

[x] CAPTION MISMATCHanalysis confidence 35%

THE TEXT

…“ninth grade or above [ prior to their enrollment in an institution of”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption speaks only of students in UIL activities. Section 2 also rewrites the college NIL statute to strike the ban on deals with prospective college athletes before enrollment, a related change the caption does not name.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Public Education
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Donors

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texans United for a Conservative Majority PAC$120,500.00

Texans United for a Conservative Majority PAC

$120,500.00

Cash
$120,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$120,500.00

Also funds 30 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 3, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 3, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100987224, 101007668, 101028850, 101030722, 101040612, 101068843.

Justice for Texas Victims$85,000.00

Justice for Texas Victims

$85,000.00

Cash
$85,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$85,000.00

Also funds 12 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 25, 2025 to Feb 4, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 26, 2025 to Feb 4, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101028850, 101030722, 101040612.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$30,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$30,000.00

Cash
$30,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$30,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 17, 2024 to Jan 12, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100987224, 101007668, 101030722.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texans United for a Conservative Majority PAC

$120,500.00

Cash
$120,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$120,500.00

Also funds 30 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 3, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 3, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100987224, 101007668, 101028850, 101030722, 101040612, 101068843.

×

Justice for Texas Victims

$85,000.00

Cash
$85,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$85,000.00

Also funds 12 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 25, 2025 to Feb 4, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 26, 2025 to Feb 4, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101028850, 101030722, 101040612.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$30,000.00

Cash
$30,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$30,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 17, 2024 to Jan 12, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100987224, 101007668, 101030722.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 1802

by Rep. Capriglione, different lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 7, 2023: Referred to Public Education

Relating to the compensation and professional representation of certain students participating in University Interscholastic League activities or in intercollegiate athletic programs at certain institutions of higher education.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 24, 2025

03/20/2025 H Referred to Public Education: Mar 20 2025 11:50AM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Public Education · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Amusements, Games, Sports

Business & Commerce--General

Education--Primary & Secondary--Extracurricular Activities

UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE

Text

The text as introduced · 561 words

89R15539 BEE-D

By: Lowe
H.B. No. 3224

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the compensation and professional representation of

certain students participating in University Interscholastic

League activities.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 33, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 33.098 to read as follows:

Sec. 33.098. COMPENSATION AND PROFESSIONAL REPRESENTATION

OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE

ACTIVITIES. (a) In this section, "league" means the University

Interscholastic League.

(b) This section applies only to a public or private

secondary school that participates in league activities.

(c) The league or a school to which this section applies may

not adopt or enforce a policy, requirement, standard, or limitation

that prohibits or otherwise prevents an eligible student

participating in a league activity from:

(1) earning compensation for the use of the student's

name, image, or likeness when the student is not engaged in official

league activities, as that term is defined by the league; or

(2) obtaining professional representation, including

representation by an attorney licensed to practice law in this

state, for contracts or other legal matters relating to the use of

the student's name, image, or likeness.

(d) A student is eligible to engage in activities described

by Subsection (c) only if the student:

(1) is in the ninth grade or above;

(2) meets the grade requirements under Section

33.081(c); and

(3) complies with the rules adopted by the league

under this section.

(e) The league shall adopt rules as necessary to administer

this section. The rules must include:

(1) provisions to ensure compensation, or the promise

of compensation, may not be used to facilitate the enrollment in or

transfer of a student to a school participating in a league

activity;

(2) provisions prohibiting compensation in exchange

for an endorsement of alcohol, tobacco products, e-cigarettes or

another type of nicotine delivery device, anabolic steroids, sports

betting, casino gambling, a firearm the student cannot legally

purchase, or a sexually oriented business as defined in Section

243.002, Local Government Code;

(3) provisions authorizing a school district, school,

or team to prohibit compensation that conflicts with the policy or

honor code of the school district, school, or team; and

(4) minimum requirements for a student engaging in

activities described by Subsection (c) to receive financial

literacy and life skills education.

SECTION 2. Section 51.9246(j), Education Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(j) No individual, corporate entity, or other organization

may:

(1) enter into any arrangement with a prospective

student athlete or student athlete relating to the [ prospective ]

student athlete's name, image, or likeness unless the student is in

ninth grade or above [ prior to their enrollment in an institution of

higher education ]; or

(2) use inducements of future name, image, and

likeness compensation arrangement to recruit a prospective student

athlete to any institution of higher education.

SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to

a contract entered into, modified, or renewed on or after the

effective date of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.