Task force approves package of NIL recommendations including agent registration, high-school rules and study of athletic funding

A Board of Regents task force approved a set of recommendations intended to guide state policy on name, image and likeness (NIL) activity for high-school and college athletes, voting to include measures on agent registration, high-school safeguards, trust-account feasibility and an athletic-funding study in its final report.

The task force — which met for its final session and heard presentations from members and outside guests — backed a plan to expand athlete-agent registration, require registration and training, and provide an enforcement pathway for unlicensed agents. A task force member said the group is considering remedies that could deny compensation to unlicensed agents and classify certain conduct as an unfair trade practice so the Attorney General could pursue recovery for affected student-athletes. "An unlicensed agent might not receive compensation for putting one of these deals together," the member said during discussion.

On high schools, the task force approved a framework that would allow students to participate in NIL activities with written parental or guardian authorization and would specifically prohibit endorsements tied to certain industries — including alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, casino/gambling and adult entertainment — when those endorsements would conflict with school or…