House Bill 1044, known as the Arkansas Sports Raffle Act, was recently discussed in the House Rules Committee. The bill would have allowed Arkansas universities to hold raffles to pay athletes for using their name, image, or likeness (NIL), among other purposes. While some, including State Representative RJ Hawk, believed the bill would have been beneficial for student athletes and competitive for universities, there were concerns raised by others, such as Carlton Saffa of Saracen Casino Resort, who felt the bill did not go far enough. Saffa emphasized the need for a better way to support college athletics through fundraising for NIL. Despite the bill’s failure to pass, Hawk remains hopeful that a similar proposal may resurface in the future to address the changing landscape of college sports. In the meantime, efforts to equip universities with the necessary resources to navigate the challenges of NIL and maintain competitiveness are ongoing. Hawk acknowledges the importance of providing students with the best possible experience, and vows to continue working on legislation that supports universities in their fundraising efforts.
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