H.R. 9137 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned, Jun 4, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryCollege athlete pay and media rights
This bill sets up rules for how college athletes can earn money from their name, image, or likeness (NIL)—basically, getting paid to use their own identity for endorsements or deals. Schools and conferences can't stop athletes from making these agreements, though athletes have to report earnings over $600. The bill also lets agents operate in the system but caps what they can charge for endorsement contracts at 5%. On top of that, it gives athletes more freedom to transfer between schools without losing eligibility, and it lets schools and conferences pool together to sell their sports broadcasting rights to outside companies.
How it affects you
If you're a college athlete, this directly affects you: you can now make money from your name and image without your school blocking it, you can transfer schools more easily, and agents working with you have a fee cap. If you follow college sports, the changes to how broadcasting rights work might eventually shift which games appear where and how often. For most other people, this doesn't create direct everyday changes, though it does reshape how college athletics operates behind the scenes.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Jun 4, 2026)
Protect College Sports Act of 2026
This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited antitrust exemption for schools and conferences to pool and sell certain college sports media rights. The requirements address elements of the court-approved agreement to settle In re College Athlete NIL Litigation (i.e., House settlement ).
First, the bill statutorily prohibits institutions, conferences, or interstate intercollegiate athletic associations (e.g., the National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA]) from restricting student athletes from entering NIL agreements (subject to specified limitations). Students must report to their institution NIL compensation greater than $600.
The bill requires agents to register with a state and caps agent endorsement contract fees at 5%.
The bill also provides student athletes with one transfer without losing athletic eligibility and restricts football personnel from becoming the head football coach at a different institution during the same season.
Further, the bill prohibits institutions, conferences, or specified entities acting for the benefit of an institution from providing athletes with compensation that circumvents the limit on sharing revenue with student athletes established under the House settlement. The bill also makes the limit permanent and provides for an annual inflation adjustment.
Additionally, the bill establishes (subject to specified conditions) a limited antitrust exemption for institutions or conferences that form joint agreements to transfer their sports telecasting rights to a third party. Such an agreement requires participation from at least 75% of the institutions in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
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.
2nd SessionH. R. 9137
A BILL
Protect College Sports Act of 2026
Sponsor: Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-WA-5) · Introduced Jun 4, 2026 · Sports and Recreation · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jun 4, 2026: “Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.”
In the news
Updated Oct 13, 2026- Extended interview: Ted Cruz on NIL legislation, Paxton-Talarico, Trump's approval rating and moreCBS News · Oct 3, 2026 ↗
- Now that it has passed the Senate, what comes next with the Protect College Sports Act?ABC News · Sep 29, 2026 ↗
Stories from the last 14 days that name this bill (“Protect College Sports Act of 2026” or its number), from the public news feeds of national outlets across the political spectrum. Newest first, one per outlet. We don’t choose, rank or check the coverage.
Sections
Sections · 1
Title I — Protections of student athletes and fair competition · 25
- Sec. 100DefinitionsNo change
- Sec. 101Name, image, and likeness protectionsNo change
- Sec. 102Modifications to Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust ActNo change
- Sec. 103Agent registry requirements for intercollegiate athletic associationsNo change
- Sec. 104Disclosures and establishment of name, image, and likeness agreement databaseNo change
- Sec. 105Academic protectionsNo change
- Sec. 106Medical coverage requirementsNo change
- Sec. 107Health, wellness, and safety standardsNo change
- Sec. 108Office of the Student Athlete OmbudsmanNo change
- Sec. 109Comparable standards for access to facilities, services, and eventsNo change
- Sec. 110Rules governing certain mid-season coaching transitionsNo change
- Sec. 111Student athlete representation on intercollegiate athletic association governing boardsNo change
- Sec. 112Transfer protectionsNo change
- Sec. 113Eligibility to participate in intercollegiate sportsNo change
- Sec. 114Prohibited compensation and agreementsNo change
- Sec. 115Extension of the revenue share capNo change
- Sec. 116Commission on the Future of College AthleticsNo change
- Sec. 117Recruitment and tamperingNo change
- Sec. 118Limitation on liabilityNo change
- Sec. 119Private right of actionNo change
- Sec. 120Whistleblower protectionNo change
- Sec. 121Relationship to existing lawNo change
- Sec. 122Neutrality on employee or non-employee statusNo change
- Sec. 123ApplicabilityNo change
- Sec. 124SeverabilityNo change
Title II — Sports broadcasting · 7
- Sec. 201DefinitionsNo change
- Sec. 202Limitation on liability for transmission of collegiate sports competitionsNo change
- Sec. 203Requirements for entities selling media rightsNo change
- Sec. 204Market level broadcast access for college football and basketballNo change
- Sec. 205Prohibition on certain conference mergers or acquisitionsNo change
- Sec. 206Amendments to intercollegiate and interscholastic football contest limitationsNo change
- Sec. 207Media rights utilization requirement for college sports other than football and basketballNo change