Legislative Session

The Senate debated the Protect College Sports Act of 2026, which would set national rules for college athletes’ name, image, and likeness deals, require reporting of NIL pay over $600, cap agent fees, restrict transfers, block pay arrangements that circumvent the House settlement’s revenue-sharing limit, and give schools and conferences a limited antitrust exemption to pool TV rights. Supporters, including Coons, Schmitt, Cruz, and Cantwell, said it replaces a patchwork of state laws and lawsuits with clear rules, protects athletes’ earnings and health coverage, and safeguards women’s and Olympic sports; opponents, including Murphy and Booker, said it shields the NCAA from antitrust suits, caps what athletes can earn, and should not be rushed before the election. Kennedy offered an amendment to cap ticket price increases at 4 percent a year, Paul offered an amendment to exempt college sports from antitrust law entirely, which Cantwell opposed as wiping out the bill, and Tim Scott offered one requiring disclosure of foreign funding to athletic programs. A Baldwin amendment protecting state health and safety lawsuits passed 96 to 1, and Cruz laid out a slate of amendments for votes before final passage.Written by AI from the debate. Updated 2026-10-17.

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