The Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement Act establishes comprehensive federal protections for college student athletes across name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights, health and safety, scholarships, and transfer rules. The bill requires institutions and NIL collectives to obtain written consent before using athlete likenesses, caps athlete agent fees at 5 percent, mandates detailed reporting on compensation and athlete hours, allows two penalty-free transfers, guarantees five years of medical expense coverage, and establishes an independent Office of the Athlete Ombuds to resolve disputes. Enforcement mechanisms include a private right of action allowing student athletes to sue in court for violations and recover damages and attorney fees, with the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general also empowered to bring civil actions, while whistleblower protections prevent institutional retaliation against those reporting violations. The bill also creates a federal committee to oversee college sports broadcast media rights negotiations and allows jersey sponsorships to generate revenue for all sports, including women's and Olympic sports, and creates a visa category for international student-athletes seeking to earn NIL compensation.
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