The second executive order that Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt signed in 2025 was to benefit college sports in the state.
According to the state government's website, the executive order's purpose is "That a postsecondary institution in the State of Oklahoma (that is covered by the Settlement) or a third party authorized to act on behalf of such postsecondary institution in the State of Oklahoma may facilitate payment to, offer payment to, or pay, or cause payment to be directed to, a current or prospective student athlete for the use of such student athlete’s NIL."
Basically, the government stepped in to ensure that universities like Oklahoma, as well as other major athletic programs in the state, or a collective associated with a university, can directly pay student-athletes for NIL.
The executive order was prompted as a settlement that would allow universities to directly pay student-athletes has its final hearing on April 7. The order was created to help protect athletic departments during this ever-changing college sports landscape, and also prevent taxpayer dollars from being used on such NIL deals.
The release added: "This proactive measure addresses the inconsistent national rules governing NIL payments, which have created uncertainty and disparity among states and athletic conferences. Oklahoma institutions, which belong to different conferences with varying regulations, faced potential disadvantages that this order seeks to mitigate."
The order protects the state's universities from getting investigated by institutions like the NCAA or their conferences about NIL-related activities.
“Oklahoma is home to some of the nation’s most outstanding student-athletes,” Governor Stitt said in a statement.“This executive order ensures that these student-athletes have access to the same opportunities as their peers in other states. It’s about leveling the playing field and maintaining the competitive edge that defines Oklahoma athletics. This action is a critical step to protect Oklahoma’s student-athletes and ensures they have the opportunity to succeed on and off the field.”
The release included four key provisions from Oklahoma's executive order:
- Authorization for Oklahoma postsecondary institutions to facilitate NIL payments to student-athletes.
- Protection for institutions and individuals from investigations or adverse actions by athletic organizations for engaging in NIL-related activities.
- Restrictions preventing the use of state-allocated funds for NIL payments.
- Automatic expiration of the order upon final settlement approval in the federal NIL litigation or the enactment of a federal law governing student-athlete payments.
Oklahoma is not the first state to pass laws that allow universities to pay student-athletes. This is also not the first time Stitt has gotten involved with this situation. In April, he passed Senate Bill 1786, which helped universities and their collectives pay athletes if the NCAA ever approved it, which is now looking likely.
OU president Joe Harroz released a statement shortly after Governor Stitt signed the recent executive order:
— Joseph Harroz, Jr. (@OU_President) January 10, 2025
You can read the full executive order here.