WASHINGTON — The federal government has codified national rules governing college athlete compensation. The US Senate passed the legislation on September 29, ending years of conflicting state laws that governed how college athletes could earn money.

The bill creates a single national standard for NIL deals and grants the NCAA limited protection from antitrust lawsuits, a long-sought priority for the governing body. Supporters argued that a federal standard was necessary to prevent recruiting chaos and preserve competitive balance across conferences.

Critics, including several player advocacy groups, warned the measure could restrict athletes' bargaining power and stops short of granting them formal employee status. The NCAA and major conferences, including the SEC and Big Ten, had lobbied heavily for congressional intervention as booster-funded collectives reshaped recruiting.

An NCAA spokesperson said the legislation would bring stability to a system strained by litigation and inconsistent rules. The measure follows the House v. NCAA settlement, which cleared the way for direct revenue sharing between schools and athletes beginning in 2025. Together, the developments mark the most significant restructuring of American college athletics in decades.