College Athlete Right to Organize Act
Sponsored By: Representative Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would expand collective bargaining rights by treating certain college athletes as employees of their schools for labor-law purposes. It also would give the National Labor Relations Board clear authority over representation and bargaining rules while protecting scholarship and federal aid treatment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
College athletes counted as employees
If you are a college student who plays sports and get pay or a scholarship tied to playing, you would be treated as a school employee. This could let you unionize and bargain over pay and working conditions. The National Labor Relations Board would handle your cases, and public colleges would count as employers for these athletes. A multi-school unit within a sports conference would be allowed only if athlete representatives at the included schools agree. Schools could not make you sign away these rights in scholarship or settlement agreements.
No new taxes on athlete aid
This bill would not make athlete pay or scholarships described by this bill taxable if they were not taxed before. It would not reclassify that money as wages for payroll tax withholding. It would keep current tax rules for qualified scholarships. It would not hurt federal student aid eligibility, including Title IV programs. These safeguards would apply upon enactment.
If one part fails, rest stands
If a court struck down one piece of this act, the rest would still apply. This would help keep other parts in place even if one part is unconstitutional. This would take effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
AZ • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35]
TX • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]
MO • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
McGovern
MA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]
MN • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov