Establish a uniform national eligibility and transfer framework for college athletics, including five consecutive years of eligibility, one free transfer, a sit-out penalty for additional transfers, and protection of scholarship commitments.

The Student Athlete Act of 2026 would establish a uniform eligibility standard providing student-athletes with five consecutive years of eligibility to compete in intercollegiate athletics and create guardrails around the transfer portal. Under the legislation, student-athletes would be permitted one transfer without penalty. Any subsequent transfer would require the athlete to sit out a season. The legislation also protects scholarship commitments by requiring institutions to honor grant-in-aid agreements, establishes a uniform national framework for eligibility and transfer rules, and preempts conflicting state laws that have created a patchwork of standards across college athletics.

Steube backs legislation to set nationwide college athletics eligibility and transfer rules, including five years of eligibility, one no-penalty transfer, a sit-out rule for further transfers, and scholarship protections.

Rep. Steube and Sen. Tuberville Introduce Student Athlete Act of 2026 – Congressman Steube
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introduced the Student Athlete Act of 2026, legislation to establish uniform eligibility standards for college athletics and restore the educational mission of college sports.

Steube introduced legislation to set uniform college athletics eligibility standards.

Press Releases – Congressman Steube
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AP reported that Trump signed an executive order aimed at college sports reform, calling for a five-year participation window, allowing one transfer without penalty for undergraduates, and using federal funding pressure to push compliance; the story also said the order may not survive legal scrutiny and that Congress would still need to act for permanent reform.

Shows partial federal movement toward the promised eligibility and transfer framework, but not a durable national law.

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President Trump signs executive order that aims to stabilize college sports
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AP reported that the Senate Commerce Committee advanced the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act on a 19-9 vote. The bill would limit athletes to one free transfer, regulate compensation, and then move to the full Senate, but it was still short of enactment and faced major conference opposition.

Recent legislative progress toward a national framework, but the promise remains incomplete because the bill has not become law.

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College sports bill clears a key Senate hurdle despite SEC, Big Ten opposition
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