CONTRIBUTED BY THE OFFICE OF SEN. TOMMY TUBERVILLE
ALABAMA — U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) has introduced bipartisan NIL legislation alongside Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.)
The Protecting Athletes, Schools and Sports (PASS) Act, proposed in July by the senators, creates basic guidelines to ensure student-athletes are protected while preserving the integrity of college athletics.
“After spending 40 years as a football coach, educator and mentor, Tuberville is proud to be leading the charge in Congress to protect student-athletes and maintain a level playing field in college sports,” according to a press release from his office.
In June 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that student-athletes could be paid for the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL).
Thirty-two states have passed a number of conflicting laws on this issue, creating an unequal playing field for universities and student-athletes. If Congress does not act, then one state — or a handful of states — will be able to dictate the rules to the rest of the country.
According to Tuberville, the PASS Act would put student-athletes first by:
• Guaranteeing student-athletes receive health insurance for sports-related injuries for eight years after graduating from a four-year institution,
• Requiring universities to honor the original scholarship commitment made to a student-athlete — even if they get an NIL deal and
• Educating student-athletes on financial literacy and regulatory rights to ensure they know how to manage NIL deals responsibly.
The PASS Act would preserve the integrity of college sports by:
• Providing stability for students and teams by moderating transfer portal eligibility,
• Ensuring NIL deals are not used in recruiting,
• Requiring boosters and collectives offering NIL deals to be affiliated with the school and
• Establishing national standards for NIL deals by creating a uniform contract.
The legislation would ban NIL agreements with student-athletes involving alcohol, drugs, weapons or gambling.
