The Senate passed a bipartisan bill creating federal NIL rules for college sports.
Why it matters: If enacted, the bill would replace a patchwork of state NIL rules with one federal compliance framework for schools, collectives and athletic departments. That could change how compliance teams handle athlete deals, transfers and recruiting.
- The Senate voted 77-22 on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, to pass the Protect College Sports Act of 2026.
- The bill would create federal rules for name, image and likeness compensation in college sports.
- The measure also addresses transfers, recruiting and athlete-agent conduct.
- The bill still needs House passage and a presidential signature to become law.
The Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act of 2026 on Monday in a 77-22 vote, sending a federal NIL overhaul for college sports to the House. The measure would set national rules for name, image and likeness compensation and other college athletics issues, according to Senate records.
The vote came after weeks of negotiations led by Sens. Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, who have framed the bill as a response to a growing patchwork of state laws. Cantwell said the bill would protect student athletes and programs across schools and sports, while Cruz said Congress - not the NCAA or the courts alone - has the authority to fix college sports through federal law. Those remarks were included in the Senate Commerce Committee release announcing the agreement.
Committee materials say the bill would preempt conflicting state NIL rules and create a nationwide compliance structure for schools, athletes, sponsors and collectives. It also covers transfers, recruiting, athlete-agent conduct and scholarship and healthcare protections, according to the committee's updated bill text notice.
An independent account from Reuters also reported the Senate approval and described the measure as an attempt to impose federal guardrails on college athlete pay. The bill is not law yet: it still needs House passage and a presidential signature.
Supporters in the Senate advanced the bill on a bipartisan basis, but the 77-22 vote also showed meaningful opposition. The House would still have to decide whether to take up the measure and whether to accept the Senate's version without changes.
By the numbers
- 77-22 - Senate vote to pass the bill on Sept. 28, 2026
- 2 - chambers that must approve the bill before it can become law
- 1 - federal NIL framework the bill would create
Yes, but: The Senate vote does not make the policy final. The House can revise or block the bill, and the White House would still need to sign it.
What's next: The House must decide whether to take up the bill and vote on the Senate-passed version.