H.R. 1183: Fair Play for Women Act
Sponsor
Alma Adams
Democrat · NC-12
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Feb 11, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Why it matters
The bill’s findings cite more than 1 million fewer high school sports opportunities for girls than boys, plus a $252 million scholarship gap in one academic year. H.R. 1183 would force schools and athletic associations to publish detailed sports equity data, train staff and athletes every year, and face lawsuits and possible civil penalties for noncompliance.
H.R. 1183 is built around one idea: if schools and athletic associations are going to claim equal treatment in sports, they should have to prove it in public. The bill covers sex-based discrimination in team membership, competitions, championships, facilities, services, and other parts of school athletics.
The biggest change is transparency. Colleges would have to send athletics data to the Education Department by October 15 each year and post it publicly by February 15. K-12 schools would have to publish their reports by October 15 and send them to the department within 15 days.
Those reports go far beyond basic participation totals. Colleges would have to break out men’s and women’s sports data on roster counts, athletic aid, tuition and full cost of attendance support, coach compensation, revenues, expenses, and race and ethnicity. K-12 schools would have to report team-by-team spending on travel, equipment, uniforms, facilities, medical personnel, publicity, and coach salaries.
The bill also gives athletes a direct legal path. Current, prospective, and former athletes could sue in federal or state court, and courts could award compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and expert fees.
Schools and associations would also have to build compliance into daily operations. That means annual training for staff, annual training for college athletes, a federal database listing Title IX coordinators, yearly compliance determinations by the Education Department, and public correction plans for entities found out of compliance in 2 of the prior 5 years.
What does H.R. 1183 do?
Athletes get a clearer path to sue
Current, prospective, and former athletes could sue in federal or state court over sex-based discrimination in athletics. Courts could award compensatory damages, including emotional distress and pain and suffering, plus punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and expert fees.
College sports finances go public every year
Colleges would have to report athletics data to the Education Department by October 15 and post it publicly by February 15. The reports would break out men’s and women’s sports data on participation, athletic aid, tuition and full cost of attendance support, coach pay, revenues, expenses, and race and ethnicity.
K-12 teams would publish sport-by-sport spending
Elementary and secondary schools would have to make annual athletics reports public by October 15, then send them to the Education Department within 15 days. Those reports would include participation and team-level spending on travel, equipment, uniforms, facilities, medical personnel, publicity, and coach salaries.
Repeat noncompliance triggers a public fix plan
If a school or association was found out of compliance in 2 or more of the prior 5 years, it would have to submit a public compliance plan within 120 days of notice. The Education Department could also impose civil penalties, though the bill does not set a dollar amount.
Staff and athletes would get annual Title IX training
Athletic associations, colleges, and covered K-12 school systems would have to provide annual training to employees connected to athletics. Colleges would also have to train athletes each year, and that training would have to be delivered by an expert who is not employed by the athletic department.
A federal contact list would make complaints easier
The Education Department would have to create a public, searchable database listing each Title IX coordinator’s name, phone number, and email address. That would make it easier for students, athletes, and parents to figure out who handles complaints.
Who benefits from H.R. 1183?
Girls and women who want a roster spot
The bill’s findings cite more than 1 million fewer high school sports opportunities for girls than boys, and an estimated 148,000 additional college opportunities needed to match men’s participation rates. H.R. 1183 is aimed at making those gaps visible and easier to challenge.
Current, future, and former student-athletes
You would not have to be a current player to bring a case. The bill lets prospective and former athletes sue too, which widens who can challenge sex-based discrimination in school sports.
Parents comparing what schools actually provide
Families would get public data instead of vague promises. You could compare whether girls’ teams and boys’ teams are getting similar funding for travel, equipment, facilities, coaching, and scholarships.
Students trying to find the right complaint contact
A public federal database of Title IX coordinators would make it easier to find a real name, phone number, and email instead of hunting through school websites.
Who is affected by H.R. 1183?
Colleges and universities with athletics programs
These schools would have new annual reporting deadlines, public posting rules, training requirements, and possible lawsuits or civil penalties. They would also need to track detailed data on aid, spending, and coaching compensation.
K-12 school systems
School districts and other covered local educational agencies would have to collect and publish team-level athletics data every year. They would also need to train Title IX coordinators, athletics staff, PE staff, health staff, and athletes on a regular schedule.
State and intercollegiate athletic associations
Associations that govern school sports would be directly covered by the bill’s anti-discrimination rules and annual training requirements. They could also face enforcement action if they are found out of compliance.
The Education Department
The department would have to issue guidance within 180 days, determine compliance every year, maintain the coordinator database, and publish institution-by-institution reports on participation and funding gaps every 2 years.
H.R. 1183 Common Questions
Can athletes sue under H.R. 1183?
Yes. H.R. 1183 would let current, prospective, and former athletes sue in federal or state court over sex-based discrimination in school athletics.
What could athletes win in a lawsuit?
Courts could award compensatory damages, including emotional distress and pain and suffering, plus punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and expert fees.
What data would colleges have to publish?
Colleges would have to report men’s and women’s sports data on roster spots, athletic aid, tuition and cost of attendance support, coach pay, revenues, expenses, and race and ethnicity.
When would schools have to file these sports equity reports?
Colleges would report to the Education Department by October 15 and post publicly by February 15. K-12 schools would publish by October 15 and submit to the department within 15 days.
Would H.R. 1183 require Title IX training every year?
Yes. Athletic associations, colleges, and covered K-12 school systems would have to provide annual training for staff tied to athletics. Colleges would also have to train athletes every year.
Can an athletic department train its own athletes?
Not for the college athlete training required by this bill. H.R. 1183 says that training must be delivered by an expert who is not employed by the school’s athletic department.
What happens if a school keeps failing compliance reviews?
If a school or association was found out of compliance in 2 of the previous 5 years, it would have to file a public compliance plan within 120 days. The Education Department could also impose civil penalties.
Would there be a public list of Title IX coordinators?
Yes. The Education Department would have to create a searchable public database with each Title IX coordinator’s name, phone number, and email address.
Based on H.R. 1183 bill text
What Congress Is Saying
Floor speeches, committee statements, and official milestones mentioning H.R. 1183.
H.R. 1183 hasn't been debated on the floor yet.
This section updates when a legislator speaks about it on the floor or in committee.
HR1183 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Feb 11, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
About the Sponsor
Alma Adams
Democrat, North Carolina's 12th congressional district · 12 years in Congress
Committees: Agriculture, Education and Workforce
View full profile →
Cosponsors (25)
All 25 cosponsors are Democrats. Cosponsors represent 17 states: Arizona, California, District of Columbia, and 14 more.
Suzanne Bonamici
Democrat · OR
Lori Trahan
Democrat · MA
Danny Davis
Democrat · IL
Nydia Velázquez
Democrat · NY
Linda Sánchez
Democrat · CA
Rick Larsen
Democrat · WA
Eleanor Norton
Democrat · DC
Henry Johnson
Democrat · GA
Maxine Waters
Democrat · CA
Sydney Kamlager-Dove
Democrat · CA
Shri Thanedar
Democrat · MI
Al Green
Democrat · TX
Committee Sponsors
Education and Workforce Committee
1 of 35 committee members cosponsored
14 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
What laws does H.R. 1183 change?
1 changes
Sections Amended
Section 2 of Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
inserting after the item relating to section 8549C the following: ``Sec
H.R. 1183 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Education and Workforce
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Sports and Recreation
- Introduced
- Feb 11, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Feb 11, 2025
Official Sources
Official bill page with status, text, sponsors, and actions for the Fair Play for Women Act.
Education Department overview of Title IX sex-discrimination protections that underpin the bill’s athletics requirements.
Official U.S. Code text for Title IX statutory provisions referenced throughout the bill.
Official Education Department policy interpretation on Title IX compliance in intercollegiate athletics, relevant to participation and treatment equity standards.
Government Accountability Office report cited in the bill’s findings about women’s athletic participation rates and Title IX compliance gaps in college sports.
Official federal complaint page showing existing administrative enforcement pathways for sex discrimination in education, useful background for the bill’s private right of action.
H.R. 1183 Bill Text
“To prohibit certain discrimination against athletes on the basis of sex by State athletic associations, intercollegiate athletic associations, and covered institutions of higher education, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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