S. 4668 Passed the Senate Sports and Recreation

Protect College Sports Act of 2026

A bill to protect the name, image, and likeness rights of, and provide protections for, student athletes and to promote fair competition among intercollegiate athletics, and for other purposes.

  1. Introduced
  2. Committee
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Passed House
  5. To President
  6. Became law
Sponsor Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] Introduced June 2, 2026 Cosponsors 9 (5 D, 4 R) Latest action October 5, 2026

Summary

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.
The bill generally prohibits Division I conferences from reducing the number of varsity or Olympic sports teams that a member institution must sponsor. Specifically, large institutions ($80 million or more in annual athletics revenue) must offer and maintain at least as many grant-in-aid opportunities and roster spots for sports that do not generate positive net revenue as the institution provided during academic year 2024-25. The bill provides for a waiver of this requirement under certain circumstances of financial hardship and the requirements expire nine years after the enactment of the bill.
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.

Summary by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Congress.gov

Roll-call votes

Actions

  1. Oct 5, 2026 Held at the desk.
  2. Oct 5, 2026 Received in the House.
  3. Oct 5, 2026 Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  4. Sep 28, 2026 Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 77 - 22. Record Vote Number: 250. (text: CR S5044-5063)
  5. Sep 28, 2026 Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S5021-5064)
  6. Sep 24, 2026 The committee substitute tabled by Voice Vote.
  7. Sep 24, 2026 Cloture on the measure, as amended, invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 74 - 25. Record Vote Number: 243.
  8. Sep 24, 2026 Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S4959-4962)
  9. Sep 23, 2026 Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S4885)
  10. Sep 22, 2026 Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S4851)
  11. Sep 22, 2026 Motion by Senator Thune to recommit to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation with instructions to report back forthwith with the following amendment (SA 6781) fell when cloture was invoked on amendment SA 6776 in Senate.
  12. Sep 17, 2026 Cloture motion on the measure presented in Senate. (CR S4789)

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