NCAA Accountability Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Kustoff
Introduced
Summary
Strengthens due process protections for large intercollegiate athletic associations. This bill would set clear deadlines, notice rules, and limits on evidence for investigations of alleged bylaw violations while adding Department of Justice oversight and enforcement tools.
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- Member institutions: Would require a written notice of inquiry within 60 days of information suggesting a possible violation and limit allegations to conduct occurring no earlier than two years before the notice. Institutions could disclose investigation details at their discretion.
- Covered athletic associations and hearings: Would require a notice of allegations within eight months of inquiry, a hearing before an infractions committee no earlier than 60 days and no later than one year after the notice, and would bar use of confidential-source evidence. An arbitration option would be available for punishment disputes with a three-person panel.
- Enforcement and reporting: Would require annual reports to the U.S. Attorney General and state attorneys general, allow DOJ investigations and Administrative Law Judge hearings, and permit civil penalties from $10,000 to $15,000,000 and removal of governing members.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.
Big fines and leadership removal power
If enacted, an administrative law judge could order a covered athletic association or person to stop violations and pay a fine. The fine could range from $10,000 up to $15,000,000. The judge would weigh good faith, how serious the violation is, and past violations. The judge could also permanently remove governing-body members.
Fairer college sports investigations and penalties
If enacted, covered athletic associations would have to send a written notice within 60 days of learning of a possible violation. They would have to issue a notice of allegations within 8 months of the inquiry and may only reach back two years. Hearings would start at least 60 days after the allegations and no later than one year after the inquiry. Information from confidential sources could not be used to decide a case. Penalties would need to fit how serious the violation is and the school’s past record. A school that disputes a punishment could force binding arbitration by a three-person panel.
Report and review college sports violations
If enacted, the Attorney General would set rules for filing signed complaints and for reviewing annual reports. DOJ staff could subpoena documents and witnesses and start a hearing at least 30 days after notice. If a hearing is held, an ALJ’s decision would become final unless the Attorney General changes it within 30 days, and a party could seek Court of Appeals review within 45 days. If no hearing is requested, the Attorney General’s order would be final and unappealable. Covered associations would send yearly investigation and penalty reports to federal and state attorneys general, and those reports would not be subject to FOIA or similar state laws.
Who is covered and member protections
If enacted, the bill would cover interstate athletic groups with at least 900 member schools. A member institution would be a college or university with at least one team in the association. Covered associations would have one year after enactment to put these rules in place. Associations could not cut a school’s membership privileges for using rights in this bill. The bill would not create new rights against individuals beyond current law.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kustoff
TN • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/12/2025
Rep. Owens, Burgess [R-UT-4]
UT • R
Sponsored 6/12/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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