STAND. COM. REP. NO. 900

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 66

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 66, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to repeal the Uniform Athlete Agents Act codified as Chapter 481E, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and replace it by adopting the Revised Uniform Athlete Agents Act, which:

(1) Expands the definition of "athlete agent" to include individuals who, for compensation, provide certain financial and business services to student athletes under certain circumstances;

(2) Requires reciprocity for athlete agents who are registered in more than one state;

(3) Strengthens requirements for athlete agent contracts;

(4) Provides for civil penalties to athlete agents who fail to notify a student athlete's educational institution before contacting the student athlete;

(5) Requires an athlete agent who has a preexisting relationship with a student athlete who receives an athletic scholarship from the institution to notify the institution if the agent recruits or solicits the student athlete to enter into an agency contract;

(6) Adds criminal penalties for athlete agents who encourage another individual to take actions on behalf of the agent which the agent is prohibited from taking; and

(7) Gives student athletes a right of action against an athlete agent who violates the provisions of this measure.

The Uniform Athlete Agents Program of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, University of Hawai‘i Athletic Departments at Mānoa and Hilo, and Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation testified in support of this measure. The Department of Education and Regulated Industries Complaints Office of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs provided comments on this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 66, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair