IB 

Union Calendar No. 474 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8534 

[Report No. 118–573] 

To prohibit a student athlete from being considered an employee of an 

institution, a conference, or an association based on participation in 

certain intercollegiate athletics. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 23, 2024 

Mr. GOOD of Virginia (for himself, Ms. FOXX, Mr. OWENS, Mr. BURLISON, 

Mr. OGLES, Mr. WALBERG, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. 

LAMALFA, Mrs. MILLER of Illinois, and Mr. ADERHOLT) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 

Workforce 

JULY 5, 2024 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 23, 2024] 


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•HR 8534 RH

A BILL 

To prohibit a student athlete from being considered an employee of an institution, a conference, or an association 

based on participation in certain intercollegiate athletics. 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
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•HR 8534 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Student Ath5 letes’ Economic Freedom Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. EMPLOYMENT STANDINGS. 

7 Notwithstanding any other provision of Federal or 

8 State law, a student athlete (or former student athlete) may 

9 not be considered an employee of an institution, a con10 ference, or an association under any Federal or State law 

11 or regulation based on participation of the student athlete 

12 (or former student athlete) in a varsity intercollegiate ath13 letics program or a varsity intercollegiate athletics competi14 tion, or the existence of rules or requirements for being a 

15 member of any varsity sports team. 

16 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

17 In this Act: 

18 (1) ASSOCIATION.—The term ‘‘association’’ 

19 means an organization that— 

20 (A) has multiple conferences and institu21 tions as members; 

22 (B) arranges championships for varsity 

23 intercollegiate athletics programs; 

24 (C) sets rules for varsity intercollegiate ath25 letics programs; 


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•HR 8534 RH

1 (D) sets rules for varsity intercollegiate ath2 letics competitions; and 

3 (E) is not a conference. 

4 (2) CONFERENCE.—The term ‘‘conference’’ means 

5 an organization that— 

6 (A) has multiple institutions as members; 

7 (B) sets rules for varsity intercollegiate ath8 letics competitions; 

9 (C) arranges championships for varsity 

10 intercollegiate athletics programs; and 

11 (D) is not an association. 

12 (3) INSTITUTION.—The term ‘‘institution’’ means 

13 an institution of higher education (as defined in sec14 tion 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 

15 U.S.C. 1001)) that sponsors a varsity intercollegiate 

16 athletics program in the United States. 

17 (4) STUDENT ATHLETE.—The term ‘‘student ath18 lete’’ means an individual who participates in a var19 sity intercollegiate athletics program. 

20 (5) VARSITY INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS COM21 PETITION.—The term ‘‘varsity intercollegiate athletics 

22 competition’’ means a competition involving 2 or 

23 more varsity intercollegiate athletics programs spon24 sored by different institutions. 


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•HR 8534 RH

1 (6) VARSITY INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS PRO2 GRAM.—The term ‘‘varsity intercollegiate athletics 

3 program’’ means a team or other program unit of an 

4 institution participating in a sport— 

5 (A) played at the intercollegiate level; 

6 (B) administered by an athletic depart7 ment; and 

8 (C) for which eligibility requirements for 

9 participation by student athletes are established 

10 by an association. 

11 (7) VARSITY SPORTS TEAM.—The term ‘‘varsity 

12 sports team’’— 

13 (A) means a team of student athletes orga14 nized by a varsity intercollegiate athletics pro15 gram to participate in a varsity intercollegiate 

16 athletics competition; and 

17 (B) does not include a team that is tradi18 tionally characterized as an intramural or club 

19 team. 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 474 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8534 

[Report No. 118–573] 

A BILL 

To prohibit a student athlete from being considered 

intercollegiate athletics. association based on participation in certain an employee of an institution, a conference, or an 

JULY 5, 2024 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS