Committee advances bill to register NIL agents for high school and college athletes

The Civil Law and Procedure committee advanced Senate Bill 389 on May 18 after hearing testimony that the state lacks oversight of agents who negotiate name, image and likeness (NIL) and endorsement deals for high school and college athletes.

Larry Freeman, chief deputy attorney general, told the committee the bill is intended to fill a regulatory gap ‘‘down into the high school level’’ and to prevent agents from taking advantage of vulnerable families. Freeman said the Department of Justice prepared the measure to allow the state to ‘‘regulate and oversee agents who are advising kids in high school and college’’ and to ensure those agents meet basic standards.

Assistant Attorney General Olivia Nuss, whom Freeman described as the office's NIL expert, said college and high-school athlete representation is largely unregulated and that the bill adopts the Revised Uniform Athlete Agent Act, updated to cover endorsement and NIL agreements. "At the college and high school level, these athlete agents are completely unregulated," Nuss said, urging registration, required disclosures and background checks so parents and schools can verify who is representing students.

John T. Curtis Jr., head of John Curtis Christian School and the school's football coach, testified that agents have started appearing at high-school practices and sometimes charge substantial fees. "At my practice the other day, we had six college coaches there, and I had four agents that were there," Curtis said, arguing that a public registry and vetting process would help parents and coaches determine whether a person is a qualified, registered agent.

Members pressed witnesses on implementation. Rep. Taylor asked which body would run the program and how to prevent burdensome bureaucracy; witnesses said the Louisiana High School Athletic Association would help distribute information to schools and parents while the Department of Justice would house the registration portal and handle enforcement. Nuss said the bill focuses on regulating agents'representation rather than imposing new contract-form requirements; the measure requires disclosures and a background check but does not itself rewrite existing contract law.

Freeman and Nuss told the committee the revised uniform act has been adopted in other states: the revised version in 22 states and the original in 47 states, according to Nuss. Committee members asked about minors signing contracts that extend beyond their minority; witnesses said parental consent and existing contract law limit minors'capacity, and the bill principally aims to regulate agents rather than set new contract terms.

The committee adopted a technical amendment set that removed a duplicated term and reordered definitions, then Rep. Edmonson moved to report SB 389 as amended; with no objections the measure was reported out of committee. The transcript records no roll-call vote tally for the reporting motion.

Votes at a glance: SB 389 (as amended) ' Reported out of committee (moved by Rep. Edmonson; no roll-call tally recorded). SB 525 ' Voluntarily deferred at the author's request.

The committee adjourned after completing the day's business.