H-3521.1          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 2270

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

By Representative Heavey

Prefiled 1/7/92.  Read first time 1/13/92.  Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.Making technical changes to the statute governing athlete agents.

     AN ACT Relating to the registration of athlete agents; and amending RCW 18.175.020 and 18.175.030.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

     Sec. 1.  RCW 18.175.020 and 1991 c 236 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) It is a violation of this chapter for a person to practice or represent himself or herself as an athlete agent or athlete agent firm without a certificate of registration as an athlete agent or athlete agent firm.

     (2) It is a violation of this chapter for a person other than a registered athlete agent or an employee or representative of a professional sport team to directly or indirectly solicit an individual to enter into an agent contract or professional sport services contract or procure, offer, promise, or attempt to obtain employment for an individual ((with a professional sport team or)) as a professional athlete.

     Sec. 2.  RCW 18.175.030 and 1991 c 236 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

     Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

     (1) "Department" means the department of licensing.

     (2) "Director" means the director of licensing.

     (3) "Athlete agent" means an individual required to be registered under this chapter.

     (4) "Athlete agent firm" means a sole proprietorship, partnership, association, corporation, or other entity that employs one or more individuals to act as an athlete agent on behalf of the entity.

     (5) "Agent contract" means a contract or agreement pursuant to which a person authorizes or empowers an athlete agent to negotiate or solicit on behalf of the person with one or more professional sport teams for the employment of the person ((by a professional sport team or to negotiate or solicit on behalf of the person for the employment of the person)) as a professional athlete.

     (6) "Institution of higher education" means a public or private college or university in this state.

     (7) "Professional athlete" means a person who is under contract to a professional sports team and is no longer enrolled in an institution of higher education as an undergraduate student.

     (8) "Professional sport services contract" means a contract or agreement pursuant to which a person is employed or agrees to render services as a player on a professional sport team or as a professional athlete.

     (9) "Student athlete" means a person who engages in, is eligible to engage in, or may be eligible to engage in any intercollegiate sporting event, contest, exhibition, or program in this state.  The term also includes an individual who has applied for enrollment to an institution of higher education.  A person ceases to be a "student athlete" as soon as his or her collegiate eligibility in the sport in which he or she is under scholarship has expired.