Wyoming requires amateur status for high school athletes and restricts NIL compensation

Original title: Keeping amateurism in high school athletics.

Last action · March 3, 2026: Assigned Chapter Number 28Sponsors: Gary Crum and 11 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

What This Bill Does

Wyoming law requires high school students participating in association-sanctioned sports to maintain by prohibiting monetary compensation, name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, and professional contracts, effective July 1, 2026.

Why it matters

High school student-athletes in Wyoming lose sports eligibility if they accept cash, endorsement deals, or prizes exceeding association limits, while receiving specific allowances for family funds, Olympic training, and college scholarships.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Wyoming high school student-athletes

Student-athletes must comply with amateur status requirements, restricting their ability to earn money from sports, sign professional contracts, or capitalize on name, image, and likeness under penalty of losing eligibility.

Directly affected

Wyoming high school activities association

The association is responsible for sanctioning sports, approving monetary award limits, and setting payment caps for non-sanctioned competitions.

Key Facts

Students representing a Wyoming high school in association-sanctioned sports must maintain amateur status.
Athletes forfeit amateur status by competing for money, receiving unauthorized monetary prizes, capitalizing on name, image, or likeness (NIL), or signing professional contracts.
Signing a college letter of intent is permitted as long as no compensation is paid during high school participation.
Family members may provide monetary compensation to encourage a student's participation without violating amateur status.

Show all 12 facts

Students may accept money for non-sanctioned events up to an association-specified limit, provided they sign a declaration declining prize money contingent on performance.
Accepting necessary meals, lodging, and transportation for a competition does not forfeit amateur status.
Students may accept nominal fees for instructing, supervising, or officiating in organized youth sports programs.
Nonmonetary benefits for Olympic or junior national team members and Operation Gold program funds are exempt from forfeiture.
Participation in school or charitable fundraisers like swim-a-thons is permitted if no performance-based compensation is given.
Postsecondary scholarship funds are permitted if paid directly to the institution after high school graduation.
Violation of these amateurism rules results in the student becoming ineligible to participate in that sport or activity.
The act takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can high school athletes in Wyoming sign name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals?

No. Capitalizing on athletic fame or name, image, and likeness by receiving money, gifts, or merchandise causes the student to forfeit and athletic eligibility.

Does this law prevent high school students from receiving college scholarships?

No. Scholarship funds are permitted as long as they are paid directly to a postsecondary institution and are not available until after the student graduates from high school.

What happens if a student violates the amateur status rules?

The student becomes ineligible to participate in the sport or activity concerned.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

21 actions

Mar 3, 2026
Governor Signed SEA No. 0024
Mar 3, 2026
Assigned Chapter Number 28
Mar 2, 2026Senate
S President Signed SEA No. 0024
Mar 2, 2026House
H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0024
Feb 27, 2026House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 57-2-3-0-0
Feb 27, 2026
Assigned Number SEA No. 0024

Show 15 earlier actions

Feb 26, 2026House
H 3rd Reading:Laid Back
Feb 25, 2026House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
Feb 24, 2026House
H COW:Passed
Feb 23, 2026House
H04 - Education:Recommend Do Pass 7-1-1-0-0
Feb 23, 2026House
H Placed on General File
Feb 20, 2026House
H Introduced and Referred to H04 - Education
Feb 19, 2026Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 29-2-0-0-0
Feb 19, 2026House
H Received for Introduction
Feb 18, 2026Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
Feb 17, 2026Senate
S COW:Passed
Feb 16, 2026Senate
S04 - Education:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
Feb 16, 2026Senate
S Placed on General File
Feb 10, 2026Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S04 - Education 27-3-1-0-0
Jan 29, 2026Senate
S Received for Introduction
Jan 22, 2026
Bill Number Assigned

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →