SB 229 North Carolina Senate · 2025-2026 Session

College Sports Updates.

Senate Bill 229 authorizes and regulates agency contracts between student-athletes and athlete agents for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals. The bill amends the existing Uniform Athlete Agents Act to include definitions and provisions specific to NIL contracts. It requires these NIL agency contracts to include details on compensation and services, and mandates a specific warning to student-athletes about consulting their institution and a 14-day cancellation period. The bill also exempts certain NIL contracts from public records requirements.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

May 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 4, 2025 Last action May 6, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Edition 2 → Edition 3 · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten to shift from a narrow focus on regulating athlete agents to a broader package of five distinct policy updates. These changes include exempting university revenue-sharing financial records from public disclosure, allowing graduate student-athletes to be classified as North Carolina residents for tuition purposes, expanding where alcohol can be sold at sports events, removing restrictions on university raffles, and setting the effective date for the 2026-2027 academic year.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded significantly from a single topic regarding athlete agents to a multi-part legislation covering financial transparency, student residency, alcohol sales, and fundraising rules.

SCOPE

The bill's subject matter was entirely replaced; the original text focused on NIL agency contracts, while the new text addresses five separate policy areas.

REQUIREMENT

Added an exemption preventing public agencies from disclosing specific internal university financial records regarding revenue sharing budgets and individual student-athlete allocations.

Expanded the permitted sale of alcoholic beverages at university-sponsored sports events to include designated satellite areas within 500 feet of the facility or specific zones defined in permit applications.

Removed restrictions on raffles conducted by constituent institutions and their affiliated nonprofit organizations.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a provision allowing constituent institutions to classify all graduate student-athletes receiving full scholarships as North Carolina residents for tuition purposes.

TIMELINE

The effective date was updated to apply beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year.

Floor votes · Senate May 6, 2025

How they voted

45–0

Passed · 6 other

Total votes 51

May 6, 2025

D Democratic20

16 Yea 4

80% Yea

R Republican31

29 Yea 2

93% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 6, 2026

Committee

Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

May 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reptd Fav Com Substitute

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Committee

Re-ref to the Com on Higher Education, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

May 6, 2025

Committee

Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

lower

May 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed 3rd Reading

upper

May 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reptd Fav

upper

Apr 30, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

upper

Apr 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Com Substitute Adopted

upper

Apr 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reptd Fav Com Substitute

upper

Apr 2, 2025

Committee

Re-ref Com On Judiciary

upper

Apr 2, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reptd Fav

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Re-ref to Education/Higher Education. If fav, re-ref to Judiciary. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate

upper

Mar 5, 2025

Committee

Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Filed

upper

2 primary · 1 co-sponsor