H.R. 4312 · Where this bill is now
Waiting for a House vote
Approved by committee Sep 11, 2025; no House vote yet
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryAllows college athletes to profit from their names
This bill sets up rules for how college athletes can be paid when their name, image, or likeness is used—like in endorsement deals or video games. Schools and athletic organizations can't stop athletes from making these deals. The bill also says that colleges making at least $20 million a year from sports have to provide counseling and medical benefits to their athletes and maintain at least 16 varsity sports teams.
How it affects you
If you're a college athlete, you'd gain the right to sign endorsement deals and make money off your name and image without your school or athletic organization blocking you. You'd also get access to counseling and medical benefits if your school makes significant money from athletics. For most other people, this mainly affects how college sports operate behind the scenes.
Read the official summary (Reported to House, Sep 11, 2025)
Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements Act or the SCORE Act
This bill provides a framework for the compensation of student athletes for the use of their name, image, or likeness (NIL). This includes addressing certain elements of the court approved agreement to settle the In re College Athlete NIL Litigation (i.e., House settlement ).
Specifically, the bill statutorily prohibits institutions, conferences, or interstate intercollegiate athletic associations (e.g., the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)) from restricting the ability of a student athlete to enter an NIL agreement.
The bill also requires institutions of higher education that generate $20 million or more in annual revenue from the institution's intercollegiate athletics activities to (1) provide counseling and medical benefits to student athletes, and (2) establish and maintain at least 16 varsity sports teams.
Further, the bill authorizes interstate intercollegiate athletic associations to establish rules with respect to athletic eligibility, transfers, recruitment, and the disclosure of NIL agreements.
Under the bill, student athletes may not be considered employees of an institution, conference, or interstate intercollegiate athletic association.
The bill also preempts state laws with respect to compensation, payments, benefits, employment status, eligibility, and academic standards applicable to student athletes.
Compliance with the provisions of this bill is considered lawful under federal and state antitrust laws.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 4312
A BILL
SCORE Act
Sponsor: Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL-12) · Introduced Jul 10, 2025 · Sports and Recreation · 2 versions of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Dec 1, 2025: “Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 916 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4312, H.R. 1005, H.R. 1049, H.R. 1069, H.R. 2965 and H.R. 4305. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4312, H.R. 1005, H.R. 1049, H.R. 1069, H.R. 2965, and H.R. 4305 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each bill.”