I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2036 
To provide protections for amateur and professional athletes, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 2, 2019 
Mr. LAWSON of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To provide protections for amateur and professional athletes, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘National Collegiate Athletics Act of 2019’’ or the 
‘‘NCAA Act of 2019’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—ATHLETES ENROLLED IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER 
EDUCATION 
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Sec. 10. Enforcement. 
Sec. 11. Amateurism. 
Sec. 12. Scholarships. 
Sec. 13. Returning athlete scholarships. 
Sec. 14. Student-athlete work opportunity. 
Sec. 15. Student-athlete injury coverage. 
TITLE II—COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS 
Sec. 21. Collective bargaining agreements in professional sports. 
TITLE III—GENERAL PROVISIONS 
Sec. 31. Annual report. 
Sec. 32. Definitions. 
TITLE I—ATHLETES ENROLLED 
IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER 
EDUCATION 
SEC. 10. ENFORCEMENT. 
Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1094(a)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(30) The institution will comply with the re-
quirements of title I of the NCAA Act of 2019.’’. 
SEC. 11. AMATEURISM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 
(b), an institution of higher education may not restrict, 
or be a member of an intercollegiate athletic association 
that restricts amateur athletes from participating in ama-
teur sports. 
(b) RESTRICTIONS.—Subsection (a) shall not apply 
to restrictions with respect to— 
(1) performance enhancement drugs; 
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(2) controlled substances which are illegal 
under the State laws in which the institution is lo-
cated; 
(3) educational requirements; or 
(4) student code violations. 
SEC. 12. SCHOLARSHIPS. 
(a) FRESHMEN SCHOLARSHIP REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a student de-
scribed in paragraph (2), an institution of higher 
education may only provide a scholarship for at least 
2 concurrent academic years. 
(2) STUDENT
DESCRIBED.—A student de-
scribed under this paragraph is a student who— 
(A) participates as an athlete in a colle-
giate revenue-generating sport; 
(B) is an incoming freshman at such insti-
tution; and 
(C) does not transfer to such institution 
from another institution of higher education. 
(b) OTHER STUDENT ATHLETES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a student de-
scribed in paragraph (2), an institution of higher 
education may only provide a scholarship for at least 
1 academic year. 
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(2) STUDENT
DESCRIBED.—A student de-
scribed in this paragraph is a student who— 
(A) participates as an athlete in a colle-
giate revenue-generating sport; and 
(B) is not a recipient of a scholarship 
under subsection (a). 
(c) AMOUNT OF SCHOLARSHIP.—The amount of a 
scholarship under subsection (a) or (b) shall be equal to 
the cost of attendance for the institution awarding such 
scholarship, as determined under section 472 of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll). 
(d) REVOCATION.—An institution of higher education 
may only revoke a scholarship under subsections (a) and 
(b) if the recipient of such scholarship— 
(1) elects to withdraw from participating in the 
collegiate revenue-generating sport; 
(2) fails to complete mandatory time with re-
spect to such sport; 
(3) is not an amateur athlete; 
(4) violates the student code of conduct of the 
institution of higher education; or 
(5) has a GPA or academic performance below 
the standard for student athletes of the institution 
of higher education. 
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SEC. 13. RETURNING ATHLETE SCHOLARSHIPS. 
(a) ASSOCIATES DEGREE.—In the case of a student 
that received a scholarship from an institution of higher 
education under subsection (a) or (b) of section 12 and 
attended such institution for a period of less than 2 aca-
demic years, such institution of higher education shall pro-
vide a needs-based scholarship to such student to complete 
the minimum coursework necessary to obtain an associate 
degree or equivalent, unless the athletes scholarship had 
been previously revoked under section 12(d). 
(b) BACHELORS DEGREE.—In the case of a student 
that received a scholarship from an institution of higher 
education under subsection (a) or (b) of section 12 and 
attended such institution for a period of 2 or more aca-
demic years, such institution of higher education shall pro-
vide a needs-based scholarship to such student to complete 
the minimum coursework necessary to obtain a bachelors 
degree. 
(c) FULL-TIME STUDENTS.—An institution of higher 
education may require a returning student described in 
subsection (a) or (b) to attend such institution full-time. 
(d) NEEDS-BASED SCHOLARSHIP.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘needs-based scholarship’’ means the amount 
equal to— 
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(1) the cost of attendance for a student (as de-
fined in section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll)); minus 
(2) the lesser of the following: 
(A) The expected family contribution for 
such student if such contribution was deter-
mined under section 475 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087oo). 
(B) The expected family contribution for 
such student if such contribution was deter-
mined under section 476 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087pp). 
(C) The expected family contribution for 
such student if such contribution was deter-
mined under section 477 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087qq). 
SEC. 14. STUDENT-ATHLETE WORK OPPORTUNITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—An institution of higher education 
that provides a scholarship under subsection (a) or (b) of 
section 12 to a student shall require that such student 
report to such institution any potential paid work oppor-
tunity such student intends to accept, before accepting 
such work opportunity. 
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(b) REVIEW OF WORK OPPORTUNITY.—In the case 
of a work opportunity reported pursuant to subsection (a), 
an institution shall— 
(1) approve or deny such opportunity in writing 
not later than 14 days after receiving such report; 
or 
(2) deny such opportunity only if accepting 
such opportunity— 
(A) would nullify the amateur status of 
such student; or 
(B) would prohibit the student from ful-
filling mandatory time commitments for the 
sport for which the student received a scholar-
ship under subsection (a) or (b) of section 12. 
(c) EFFECT OF DENIAL.—In the case of a denial of 
an opportunity reported to an institution of higher edu-
cation pursuant to subsection (a), if a student accepts 
such opportunity, the institution may revoke the scholar-
ship under subsection (a) or (b) of section 12 of such stu-
dent. 
SEC. 15. STUDENT-ATHLETE INJURY COVERAGE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a student at an in-
stitution of higher education who participates as an ath-
lete in a collegiate revenue-generating sport, such institu-
tion shall ensure that such student is provided, at no cost 
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to such student, coverage for any medical costs incurred 
by such student with respect to any injury attributable 
to participation in such sport. Such institution shall serve 
as the primary payor with respect to 100 percent of such 
costs in lieu of any benefits such student may have under 
health insurance coverage or a group health plan (as such 
terms are defined in section 2791 of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–91)). 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The requirement specified in 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to students partici-
pating in a collegiate revenue-generating sport on or after 
the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
TITLE II—COLLECTIVE 
BARGAINING AGREEMENTS 
SEC. 21. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS IN PRO-
FESSIONAL SPORTS. 
A collective bargaining agreement between a profes-
sional sports league and a professional players’ association 
entered into after the date of the enactment of this Act 
shall allow adults to enter the collective bargaining agree-
ment at the same level as other adults with the same expe-
rience level in such professional sports league. 
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TITLE III—GENERAL 
PROVISIONS 
SEC. 31. ANNUAL REPORT. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Edu-
cation shall provide each institution of higher education 
with a collegiate revenue-generating sport a report of the 
responsibilities of such institutions with respect to players 
participating in the collegiate revenue-generating sport. 
SEC. 32. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADULT.—The term ‘‘adult’’ means a person 
that is at least 18 years old. 
(2) AMATEUR ATHLETE.—The term ‘‘amateur 
athlete’’ means an athlete that participates in a 
sport who has not— 
(A) entered into a contract with a profes-
sional team with respect to such sport; 
(B) received a salary with respect to such 
sport; 
(C) received earnings (not including schol-
arships) related to the participation in such 
sport; or 
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