College athletes in New Jersey would be allowed to seek endorsements and sponsors under a bill introduced by two New Jersey state senators Thursday.

The NCAA currently bars student athletes from receiving compensation for the use of their names, images and likenesses, and the proposal in New Jersey is likely to fuel national debate over whether compensation distracts from education or creates an unfair advantage when it comes to college athletics.

California recently became the first state to allow athletes to profit off endorsements, and several other states are considering allowing the same.

"A lot of people, including many at the NCAA, earn large amounts of money off of the blood, sweat and tears of talented young New Jerseyans in this state and, frankly, across the country," one of the bill sponsors, Sen. Joe Lagana, D-Bergen, said in a statement. "As a former college athlete, I witnessed firsthand the sacrifice put in by so many of my peers and cannot overlook the inequality created when students that excel in other disciplines, such as the arts, are not restricted in seeking endorsements."

Lagana played football for two years at Fordham University in New York, where he studied history.

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The New Jersey Fair Play Act, co-sponsored by Lagana and Sen. Sandra Cunningham, D-Hudson, would prevent the state's 27 NCAA colleges and universities from baring student athletes from activities such as getting endorsements. It also allows athletes to seek an agent or lawyer, and protects athletes from losing scholarships if they seek compensation or representation.

The bill includes some limits. Students' images could not be used to promote adult entertainment, alcohol, gambling, tobacco and e-cigarettes, pharmaceuticals, drugs and firearms. New Jersey's bill is in the earliest stages and will have to be vetted by Legislative committees before it becomes law.

The NCAA, the governing body for college athletics, has opposed allowing student athletes to seek sponsors and endorsements, saying to do so would eliminate the distinction between college and professional competition by giving schools that allow endorsements an unfair recruiting advantage.

Earlier this year, the NCAA formed a committee to study whether its own rules on names, images and likenesses should be revamped, but it was firm that it would not allow payments for participation. The NCAA has maintained that paying athletes would inhibit students' educational motivation.

"As more states consider their own specific legislation related to this topic, it is clear that a patchwork of different laws from different states will make unattainable the goal of providing a fair and level playing field for 1,100 campuses and nearly half a million student athletes nationwide," the NCAA said in a statement last month after California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the law. The NCAA did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.

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Some athletic leaders at New Jersey's eight Division I schools, which are most likely to see athletes seeking endorsements, were hesitant about the bill and its impact.

Marilyn McNeil, vice president and director of athletics at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, said she was concerned about creating a patchwork of rules across the country.

"I don’t have a problem with that 1 percent of athletes that could perhaps get some endorsements for their name, image and likeness," she said. "But I do think we’re creating a bunch of legislation to manage this very small group of athletes, and I worry about the rest of the athletes. Is this going to impact their experiences and their ability to play college sports?"

Similarly, Rutgers interim head football coach Nunzio Campanile was questioning whether the bill included enforcement provisions.

"I understand both sides of the argument, because obviously a lot of money is being made off these guys in a lot of ways," he said. "But at the same time, I don’t know how you keep the corruption out of it if that were to happen. I would like to see more information about how they plan to police it."

Though New Jersey is more of a pro-sports market, at least one college athlete theoretically could command some endorsement money this year: Seton Hall basketball standout Myles Powell, who was named preseason All-America by the Associated Press. The Trenton native's image is plastered on highway billboards and recently signed autographs for a long line of fans on campus.

Bryan Felt, Seton Hall's director of athletics, sees a need to proceed with caution on name/image/likeness legislation.

"The welfare of our student-athletes is at the core of our mission and at the forefront of all our decision making," Felt said in a statement. "The topic of name, image and likeness is currently being reviewed by the NCAA Board of Governors Federal and State Legislation Working Group. This is a very complex issue, one that requires a lot of attention. We look forward to working with the NCAA towards a solution that protects the student-athlete experience.”

There is not yet an example for New Jersey to follow, should lawmakers enact the law, because California's does not go into effect until 2023. The New Jersey bill includes a five-year waiting period before it becomes applicable.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, signaled his support for the bill.

"These young men and women train hard to use their skills for their teams and their schools, they shouldn’t be shut out from any financial benefits they help create through their success on the playing field, athletic courts or other sports forums," he said in a statement. "They earn it and they deserve it.”

But in the Assembly, where no companion bill has been filed, there was more hesitation.

"This is a topic that has garnered national attention and there are many concerns to address under this umbrella," Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, said in a statement. "Preserving the integrity of college athletics is one of them. We will review the proposed legislation and consider all the factors."

Earlier this month and following California's lead, U.S. senator and presidential candidate Cory Booker, a Democrat who lives in Newark, put a spotlight on the issue, pledging to push similar legislation at the federal level as part of a plan to promote fairness and address economic, health and safety issues in sports.

Booker was a high school All-American football player and went on to play at Division 1 Stanford University.

“What I learned about hard work, perseverance, and teamwork are lessons I carry with me to this day,” he said in a statement. “I also learned that fair play means recognizing injustice everywhere — including unfair practices that have gone on for far too long in college and professional sports.”

Stacey Barchenger: @sbarchenger; 732-427-0114; sbarchenger@gannettnj.com

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