STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1261

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 275

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 275, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIFORM ATHLETE AGENTS ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to enact the Uniform Athlete Agents Act and to protect student-athletes and education institutions from potential harm caused by unscrupulous athlete agents.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, the University of Hawai‘i, and the Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

     Your Committee notes that the Office of the State Auditor has conducted a sunrise analysis regarding regulating athlete agents as required by section 26H-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and pursuant to House Resolution No. 112, Senate Draft 1, of the 2006 Regular Session.  Although the Office of the State Auditor concluded that regulation of athlete agents in Hawaii is unnecessary at this time, Hawaii is one of twelve states that does not have any type of law to regulate athlete agents and that the State should not wait until unscrupulous acts of athlete agents becomes a problem and causes significant damage to student athletes and educational institutions in the State.

     Your Committee further notes that the National Collegiate Athletic Association requested assistance from the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws to adopt uniform legislation to protect student athletes.

     Your Committee has amended this measure to make technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 275, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 275, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair