Michael Baumgartner (R-WA)
Protect College Sports Act of 2026
A Republican bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — 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 committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Protect College Sports Act of 2026 aims to protect the rights of student athletes regarding their name, image, and likeness (NIL). It establishes medical coverage requirements, academic protections, and health and safety standards for athletes. The bill creates the Office of the Student Athlete Ombudsman and a Congressional Commission on the Future of College Athletics. It also regulates sports broadcasting by creating a covered entity for media rights and requiring local broadcast access for football and basketball. Additionally, it sets rules for transfers, eligibility, and prevents certain conference mergers.
Yes· 3 of 10
- Scored +8
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
Significantly increases earning potential and medical protections for college-aged athletes.
- Scored +8
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
Requires Division I institutions to cover all out-of-pocket medical expenses for sports-related injuries.
- Scored +7
Would students be better off under this?
Provides academic safeguards and protects scholarships from being revoked due to injury.
The opposite
- Scored -4
Does this leave more decisions to the states?
Preempts state laws that conflict with the federal standards set in the bill.
- Scored -2
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?
Mandates disclosure of NIL agreements exceeding $600 to institutions.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- NIL Compensation: Student athletes are protected from restrictions on their ability to market or earn money from their name, image, and likeness rights (Section 101(a)).
- Medical Coverage: Division I institutions must cover all out-of-pocket medical expenses for injuries occurred during sports and provide coverage for five years after the athlete's last competition (Section 106(a)).
- Health and Safety Standards: Institutions must follow specific protocols to protect athletes from brain injuries, heat-related illness, rhabdomyolysis, sickle cell trait, and asthma (Section 107(a)).
- Academic Protections: The bill prohibits athletic department staff from pressuring student athletes regarding their choice of major or coursework and protects grants-in-aid from being revoked due to athletic performance or injury (Section 105(a), (c)).
- Student Support: The Office of the Student Athlete Ombudsman provides free, independent advice to athletes regarding their rights and resources (Section 108(b)).
- Broadcasting Access: The bill requires at least one local outlet option to carry live football or basketball games without charge to viewers in the local market (Section 204(b)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Reporting Burdens: Student athletes at Division I institutions must report any NIL agreements or compensation exceeding $600 to their institution within 30 days (Section 101(b)).
- Eligibility Restrictions: An athlete's eligibility can be restricted if they use illegal or performance-enhancing drugs or participate in sports wagering (Section 113(c)).
- Transfer Limitations: Students generally only get one transfer without losing eligibility; a second transfer typically results in a loss of eligibility for the first academic year (Section 112).
- Restricted Contact: Institutions and agents are prohibited from contacting student athletes enrolled at other schools for recruitment purposes except during a specific five-week window (Section 117).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Significantly increases earning potential and medical protections for college-aged athletes. Would students be better off under this? — Provides academic safeguards and protects scholarships from being revoked due to injury. Would women be better off under this? — Ensures gender equity in facilities and medical standards for women's athletics. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Provides essential medical coverage and scholarship protections for athletes from lower-income backgrounds.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Requires Division I institutions to cover all out-of-pocket medical expenses for sports-related injuries. Does this make mental health care easier to get? — Mandates medical coverage for mental health conditions and prohibits scholarship reduction based on illness.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — Requires comparable standards for medical care, lodging, and facilities across men's and women's programs.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — Provides protections for student athletes against predatory agent fees and fraudulent representations.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — Provides a private right of action and whistleblower protections for those reporting violations. Does this give the federal government more power? — Establishes federal standards and preemption over conflicting state laws regarding NIL and transfers. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — Preempts state laws that conflict with the federal standards set in the bill. Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — Mandates disclosure of NIL agreements exceeding $600 to institutions.
- 11/5/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/10/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/4/2026
- 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.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Abraham HamadehRepublican · Arizona
Jefferson Van DrewRepublican · New Jersey