As a former UNM football player, State Senator Mark Moores (R-Albuquerque) knows what it's like to be a college athlete.

"For years, student athletes haven't been able to bear the fruit of their labor," he said.

That's why he's sponsoring a bill that would allow current college athletes to start being paid for endorsement deals.

"This is about providing them opportunities, providing them with an income source so they can stay in school, represent their university, represent their state and still make a living," said Moores.

Moores says college sports is a multi-billion dollar industry and the student athletes deserve to get paid too.

"Student athletes currently are really restricted on what kind of income they can receive outside of their scholarship," he said.

During an interview in September, UNM men's basketball coach Paul Weir said he supports the idea.

"College players need to be compensated,” said Weir.

Moores will introduce the bill during the 2020 Legislative Session which begins in January.