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119-hr-2688119th CongressWALLET

Protecting Student Athletes’ Economic Freedom Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative McClain, Lisa C. [R-MI-9]

Introduced

Summary

bars student athletes from being treated as employees. The Protecting Student Athletes' Economic Freedom Act of 2025 would bar student athletes from being treated as employees under any Federal or State law when that status is based on participation in varsity intercollegiate athletics. It would override conflicting laws and provides definitions for institutions, conferences, associations, varsity programs, and varsity teams.

Show full summary
  • Student athletes. Student athletes and former student athletes could not claim employee status under federal or state employment laws based solely on participation in a varsity intercollegiate athletics program or membership rules for varsity teams.
  • Institutions, conferences, and associations. Colleges that sponsor varsity programs, athletic conferences, and national associations would be protected from employee-status claims that arise from athletes' participation.
  • Legal effect and definitions. The bill expressly overrides inconsistent federal or state laws or regulations and defines terms like "varsity intercollegiate athletics program," "varsity sports team," "institution," "conference," and "association" to limit the scope of the prohibition.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Student athletes not classed as employees

This bill would bar treating a student athlete or former student athlete as an employee of a college, conference, or association. The ban would apply when employee status would be based on playing varsity sports, being on a varsity team, or on membership rules. It would override any conflicting Federal or State law. If enacted, affected students might lose wages, payroll tax withholding, unemployment insurance, and employer-provided benefits. Some households with affected students could see potential earnings drop by more than $2,000 a year in some cases.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

McClain, Lisa C. [R-MI-9]

MI • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Walberg, Tim [R-MI-5]

    MI • R

    Sponsored 4/7/2025

  • Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1]

    CA • R

    Sponsored 4/7/2025

  • Rep. Foxx, Virginia [R-NC-5]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 4/7/2025

  • Rep. Aderholt, Robert B. [R-AL-4]

    AL • R

    Sponsored 4/7/2025

  • Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 4/7/2025

  • Rep. Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12]

    GA • R

    Sponsored 4/7/2025

  • Rep. Owens, Burgess [R-UT-4]

    UT • R

    Sponsored 4/7/2025

  • Rep. Harris, Mark [R-NC-8]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 4/7/2025

  • Rep. Onder, Robert F. [R-MO-3]

    MO • R

    Sponsored 4/7/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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