{"data":{"id":"us-mt/20-1-232","jurisdiction":"us-mt","citation":"20-1-232","heading":"Student-athlete rights and protections -- definitions.","body":"(1) As used in this section, the following definitions apply:\n(a) \"Postsecondary institution\" means a 2-year or 4-year public or private college or university located in the state.\n(b) (i) \"Student-athlete rights\" means the rights of a student-athlete enrolled in a postsecondary institution to earn compensation for the use of the student-athlete's name, image, or likeness and to contract with and retain professional representation of an athlete agent.\n(ii) The term does not include a right to receive compensation from a postsecondary institution.\n(2) Except as provided in subsections (3) through (6), a postsecondary institution or an athletic association, conference, or organization with authority over intercollegiate sports may not:\n(a) prohibit, prevent, or restrict a student-athlete from exercising the student-athlete's rights;\n(b) penalize or retaliate against a student-athlete for exercising the student-athlete's rights;\n(c) prohibit a student-athlete from participating in an intercollegiate sport for exercising the student-athlete's rights; or\n(d) subject to subsection (4)(a), impose an eligibility requirement on a scholarship or grant that requires a student-athlete to refrain from exercising the student-athlete's rights.\n(3) (a) A student-athlete may not enter into a contract that provides compensation to the student-athlete for the use of the student-athlete's name, image, or likeness if terms of the contract conflict with the student-athlete's team rules or with terms of a contract entered into between the student-athlete's postsecondary institution and a third party, except the team rules or a contract entered into between the postsecondary institution and a third party may not prevent a student-athlete from earning compensation for the use of the student-athlete's name, image, or likeness when not engaged in official team activities.\n(b) A student-athlete who enters into a contract that provides compensation to the student-athlete for the use of the student-athlete's name, image, or likeness shall disclose the contract to an official of the postsecondary institution if the student-athlete is a team member or, if the student-athlete is not a team member, at the time the student-athlete seeks to become a team member.\n(c) If a postsecondary institution asserts that the terms of the contract conflict with the team rules or with terms of a contract entered into between the student-athlete's postsecondary institution and a third party, the unit shall disclose the specific rules or terms asserted to be in conflict to the student-athlete or to the student-athlete's professional representative or athlete agent if the student-athlete is represented.\n(4) A postsecondary school may:\n(a) include provisions in scholarship agreements allowing the postsecondary school to use the athlete's name, image, and likeness;\n(b) prohibit the use of an athlete's name, image, and likeness on school property, at school functions, or in any advertising material distributed or placed on school property;\n(c) serve as an agent for the athlete to manage any contract using an athlete's name, image, and likeness; or\n(d) do any combination of subsections (4)(a) through (4)(c).\n(5) Nothing in this section prohibits a postsecondary institution from establishing or enforcing a conduct code that is applicable to all students enrolled at the unit.\n(6) A contract made pursuant to this section must comply with the written requirements of 28-2-903.","path":["TITLE 20. EDUCATION","CHAPTER 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS","Part 2. Miscellaneous Provisions"],"source_url":"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0200/chapter_0010/part_0020/section_0320/0200-0010-0020-0320.html","current_through":"Montana Code Annotated 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T04:49:11Z","sha256":"fa3033c9e755ac8903d5601ba50f58c0bde85ae627449ed34fad5d54e827b24a","source_id":"us-mt","stale":false,"prev":"us-mt/20-1-231","next":"us-mt/20-1-233"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}