The College Athlete Right to Organize Act would grant college athletes the legal right to form unions and collectively bargain with their schools and athletic conferences over compensation, working conditions, and other employment terms. The bill classifies college athletes who receive scholarships or other compensation tied to athletic participation as employees under federal labor law, extending the protections of the National Labor Relations Act to both public and private universities. This would allow athletes to negotiate as a group across multiple institutions within athletic conferences rather than as individuals, similar to labor rights enjoyed by professional athletes. The bill includes protections to ensure that athlete compensation would not be treated as taxable income or affect eligibility for federal financial aid. The legislation does not authorize any new federal funding and has no specified timeline for implementation beyond when it would take effect if enacted.
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