US Senate Passes College Sports Bill 77-22, Sends It to House

The US Senate has passed legislation to regulate college sports, a multibillion-dollar industry reshaped in recent years by growing earning opportunities for student athletes. The vote on Monday evening was 77-22, and the bill now moves to the House of Representatives.

National standards proposed

The proposal would establish nationwide rules on student athlete transfers, eligibility and compensation for the use of name, image and likeness (NIL).

Under the measure, an athlete could transfer schools once without losing or delaying eligibility. A second transfer would trigger a one-year ineligibility period, except in four cases: the departure of a head coach, sexual assault or harassment, or the discontinuation of a sport.

Athletes would generally be limited to five years of eligibility, with exceptions for pregnancy, religious missions, active-duty military service, and a serious athletic injury or medical condition.

The bill would also protect athletes' right to NIL compensation and require disclosure of NIL deals worth more than $600.

Preemption and unresolved questions

The national standards would preempt state laws, a contentious element given that more than 30 states have already passed their own NIL legislation.

The bill does not settle one of the biggest legal battles in college sports: whether athletes should be classified as employees rather than students taking part in extracurricular activities.

It would allow athletes to sue to enforce its provisions instead of being bound by arbitration. Critics argue that litigation places a heavy burden on individuals. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester, a Delaware Democrat, said student athletes often have limited time, resources and legal expertise, and should not bear primary responsibility for identifying violations and suing their schools or athletic programs to secure the bill's protections. She also warned that Congress should not lock in terms that could limit athletes' ability to negotiate or collectively bargain over them later.

Opponents said the measure could weaken athletes' leverage in future labour and antitrust disputes, even as it creates new health, safety and compensation protections.

How the chamber voted

Fifty of the Senate's 53 Republicans backed the bill. Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska did not vote, while Senators Rick Scott of Florida and Rand Paul of Kentucky opposed it. Paul proposed an amendment that would have gutted the bill; it failed 1-94, with only Paul supporting it. Twenty-seven members of the Democratic Caucus voted in favour.

Next steps

The measure now goes to the House, which has recessed until after the November 3 midterm elections. A majority of the 433-member House — two seats are vacant — would need to approve the bill before it could be sent to President Donald Trump for signature.