Bill > S04760

This bill establishes collective bargaining rights for college athletes in New York, recognizing them as employees with the ability to form unions and negotiate with their institutions of higher education. The legislation aims to address what it describes as exploitative labor practices by the NCAA and member institutions, which have historically classified athletes as amateurs while maintaining strict control over their compensation and conditions. The bill authorizes the public employment relations board to oversee collective bargaining matters for college athletes, allowing them to form bargaining units within intercollegiate athletic conferences, but only with the consent of employee representatives. College athletes would be defined as employees if they receive compensation (such as a grant-in-aid) that requires participation in an intercollegiate sport. The bill includes several important protections, such as prohibiting agreements that waive the collective bargaining rights established, and contains provisions ensuring that the new law would not impact tax treatments or scholarship status. Critically, the bill includes a proviso that it would be repealed if federal agencies determine it would jeopardize federal funding or if a court finds it non-compliant with federal law, thus providing a safeguard against potential unintended consequences.

Labor and Employment

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4760