- Introduced -

SB 739 - This act establishes the "Uniform Athlete Agents Act".

The act requires that all athlete agents operating in Missouri must register with and be certified by the Secretary of State's Office in a manner prescribed by statute and by the Secretary of State. Registration and certification is valid for a two-year period, and may be renewed indefinitely. The Secretary may refuse to issue a certificate, or may suspend or revoke a certificate, under certain circumstances, such as:

(1) If the applicant has been convicted of a crime of moral turpitude;

(2) The applicant makes false statements on the application;

(3) The applicant has had a similar license suspended or revoked in any state; or

(4) The applicant has caused a student-athlete to be suspended from or to be ineligible for any interscholastic or intercollegiate athletic event.

The act requires that all agent-athlete contracts must be written and must contain certain information, including the basis for the agent's fee and a notice warning the student-athlete about possible loss of eligibility. The act also regulates the activities of agents and makes a violation of such regulations a Class B misdemeanor. The act subjects agents to civil penalties and damages for regulatory violations.

CINDY KADLEC