,

Congressional Bills Introduced Related to NCAA Student-Athletes

Two bills were introduced in Congress in December which overlap or intersect with each other.

Name, Image & Likeness Bill

The first bill was introduced in the Senate Commerce Committee and would permit college athletes to receive compensation for their name, image, and likeness (as would many bills introduced by various states this past year).

This particular bill was requested by the NCAA for help on a Federal level in dealing with the numerous bills introduced by various states. It would also provide oversight for the process of athletes receiving such compensation from companies and organizations via the Federal Trade Commission.

The College Athletes Bill of Rights

The College Athletes Bill of Rights, on the other hand, is a competing bill that is much more favorable to the college athletes than it is to the NCAA.

Here are some key provisions of this Bill:

  • It would require universities to share 50% of the profit from revenue-generating sports with the athletes in those sports (after deducting the value of scholarships already provided).
  • It would create “enforceable” health and safety standards developed by the CDC and the Dept. of Health and Human Services. Hefty fines would be imposed on universities not meeting those standards.
  • Establish a medical trust fund for athletes available for five years after leaving college.
  • Guarantee scholarships for athletes to complete their undergrad degree.
  • Remove penalties for not honoring a National Letter of Intent agreement to attend the university signed with for at least one full academic year.
  • Remove restrictions on athletes transferring between four-year colleges.
  • Permit athletes who enter a professional draft to declare a return to college within seven days of the draft.

We’ll continue to keep you updated on these developments in our upcoming newsletters. In the meantime, you can always contact us with questions about these or any other issues by writing to rick@informedathlete.com or by calling 913-766-1235.

/by