Senate prepares to vote on Protect College Sports Act amid mixed reactions

The third and final procedural vote is expected as early as Tuesday with a final vote to adopt the legislation as soon as Thursday, according to multiple lawmakers and their staff. After Senate approval, the bill must be adopted by the House of Representatives.

The Senate took a key step this week toward passing a bill that would radically change college sports by instituting rules that would cover a wide range of the multibillion-dollar industry, including how colleges pay their players and what those players can and cannot go to court to fight. Senators voted 74-24 to close debate on The Protect College Sports Act, bringing it closer to a vote in that chamber. The bill would put into law the revenue sharing that was negotiated under terms of the House settlement, which allows schools to share up to 22% of certain revenue with athletes.

Legislation to broadly regulate college sports has cleared a first major hurdle in the Senate. The Senate voted Tuesday to consider the bill, a significant step forward as senators from both parties have made the legislation a priority. The bill aims to put g…

The legislation is the latest attempt to set a national standard for the rules of college sports on issues from eligibility to compensation.

A landmark college sports bill is nearing a Senate vote, but a fierce debate over athlete rights and unionization remains.