A new federal bill concerning the rights of college athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness was introduced Wednesday, this time by Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee.
The Amateur Athletes Protection and Compensation Act pulls elements from previous bills originated on both sides of the aisle.
“It is no secret that college athletics have grown into an increasingly profitable, billion dollar industry,” Moran said in a statement. “However, the rules surrounding athlete compensation have not been modernized.”
The bill would allow athletes to obtain representation and sign endorsement deals. It would also create a body to oversee and adjudicate NIL in conjunction with the Federal Trade Commission.
Additional provisions:
- Athletes could enter professional league drafts and then return to school if things don’t work out.
- Schools would have extra obligations to cover athlete medical expenses and must pay scholarships until athletes gets their degrees.
- Athletes could transfer schools once without having to sit out a year.
Like other Republican-backed bills, Moran’s states that athletes cannot be considered employees.
Congress has until July 1 — when a Florida law permitting college athletes to be paid for their NIL takes effect — to pass legislation before recruiting chaos ensues. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who also introduced a college athlete reform bill, said Congress may not pass a law until that deadline.
