Federal Legislative Resources

Review of Federal Youth Sports Legislation

Congressional legislation on youth sports in the last 25 years primarily targets athlete safety, sexual abuse prevention, and the commercialization of the industry. While the regulation of youth athletics is mostly handled at the state level, Congress has passed a few major federal laws: 

Major Federal Legislation Passed

• Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017: This landmark bipartisan law requires youth-serving amateur sports organizations to immediately report suspected child and sexual abuse to law enforcement. It also established the United States Center for SafeSport to develop policies, conduct investigations, and impose sanctions to protect minor athletes across all Olympic-affiliated sports. 
• An Amateur Sports Act amendments (e.g., Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act): Over the last two decades, Congress has periodically updated this act to expand the mandate of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and hold national governing bodies accountable for athlete safety, compliance, and reporting

Key Pending Legislation & Congressional Focus

Because of the rapid growth of the youth sports industry into a $70 billion sector, Congress has focused on reigning in predatory business practices and ensuring equitable access: 

• The Let Kids Play Act: Introduced to curb the rising costs of youth sports, this bill seeks to restrict private equity and “vulture” investors from acquiring youth athletic leagues, clubs, and facilities. 
• The Youth Sports Facilities Act: Bipartisan legislation introduced in both the House and Senate aimed at expanding federal grant programs (such as those through the Economic Development Administration) to modernize and construct safe, accessible community youth sports facilities. 
• Protecting Student Athletes from Concussions Act: A heavily pushed bill introduced to establish standard elementary and secondary school procedures to prevent, identify, and treat concussions, building on the concussion laws that all 50 states have passed individually over the last two decade
• STRONG Kids Act (Congress.gov) Officially known as the Sports Training, Recreation, and Opportunities for the Next Generation Act, is a bipartisan bill introduced on July 22, 2026, by U.S. Representatives Mike Carey and Nanette Diaz Barragán. It expands youth sports access and physical activity safety for children under 18 using existing sports betting tax revenue.