GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 1298 which prohibits high school student-athletes from entering into contracts to receive compensation in relation to such student's athletic participation in exchange for the use of such student's name, image, or likeness.

While I strongly believe in the value of amateur sports, we must recognize the rapidly changing landscape of amateur athletics and online economies.

The claim that this bill is necessary to protect minors from predatory contracts ignores that minors in Virginia are generally prohibited from entering into contracts without parental consent. Virginia High School League policy also restricts paid endorsement deals.

Further, this bill is a premature prohibition that fails to recognize the continually evolving marketplace for content creation and monetization and could have the unintended consequence of limiting young people from engaging in economic activity via social media unrelated to their athletic performance.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.