House Panel Advances Bill to Ban Student Athlete Employee Status

Legislation that would bar student athletes from being considered employees by virtue of their participation in college sports advanced in a House committee.

The House Education and the Workforce Committee voted 23-16 along party lines Thursday to advance the Protecting Student Athletes’ Economic Freedom Act (H.R. 8534).

The bill, introduced last month by Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Chair Bob Good (R-Va.), would establish that college athletes may not be considered employees of an institution, conference, or association under any regulation as well as any federal or state law.

When introducing the legislation, Good said it was ...