[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 147 (Thursday, September 17, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4835-S4836]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6794. Mr. MURPHY (for himself and Mr. Booker) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4668, to 
protect the name, image, and likeness rights of, and provide 
protections for, student athletes and to promote fair competition among 
intercollegiate athletics, and for other purposes; which was ordered to 
lie on the table; as follows:

       Strike section 107(b) and insert the following:
       (b) Mandatory Independent Investigation of Sexual Assault, 
     Abuse, and Misconduct.--
       (1) In general.--Each institution, conference, and 
     intercollegiate athletic association shall--

[[Page S4836]]

       (A) establish, maintain, and enforce written policies 
     requiring that any report or allegation of sexual assault, 
     sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, or physical abuse 
     involving a student athlete be referred within 24 hours of 
     receipt to--
       (i) an independent investigator who is not employed by, and 
     has no financial relationship with, the institution, 
     conference, or intercollegiate athletic association against 
     which the report is made; and
       (ii) the appropriate local law enforcement agency, unless 
     the student athlete who is the subject of the alleged harm 
     affirmatively declines such referral in writing after being 
     informed of the referral requirement;
       (B) not permit any coach, athletic director, or employee of 
     the athletic department of an institution to participate in, 
     influence, or be notified of the specific factual findings of 
     any investigation described in subparagraph (A) prior to 
     completion of the investigation;
       (C) provide to any student athlete who reports sexual 
     assault, sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, or physical 
     abuse, at no cost--
       (i) an independent, confidential victim advocate not 
     employed by the athletic department or Title IX office of the 
     relevant institution;
       (ii) access to a sexual assault forensic examination, 
     including any forensic evidence collection kit; and
       (iii) written notification of rights under applicable 
     Federal and State law, including the right to file a civil 
     action; and
       (D) retain records of all reports, referrals, 
     investigations, and outcomes under this paragraph for not 
     less than 10 years and make such records available to the 
     Office of the Student Athlete Ombudsman established under 
     section 108 upon request.
       (2) Retaliation prohibited.--No institution, conference, 
     intercollegiate athletic association, or agent thereof may 
     take any adverse action against a student athlete who makes a 
     report under paragraph (1).
       (3) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection shall 
     be construed to limit the obligation of any institution to 
     comply with title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 
     U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) or any applicable State law governing 
     reporting of sexual assault or physical abuse.
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