Oklahoma House Moves to Tighten Athlete Agent Rules

Kfor.com reports that the Oklahoma House votes to tighten rules on sports agent contact with student-athletes. The amendment to the existing athlete agent act prohibits an agent from:

"any and all communication with student-athletes who are ineligible to be drafted, with the exception of general promotional brochures. Communication includes, but is not limited to in-person contact, telephonic and electronic communication."

The bill's author is former University of Oklahoma football player Todd Thomsen. In the Kfor report Thomsen acknowledges the NFLPA "junior rule" that puts similar restrictions on NFLPA certified contract advisors but indicates that the "league" (assuming he meant players' association) doesn't have the resources to enforce it.
The bill will next head to the state Senate for debate and a vote. It will be interesting to see what becomes of the bill if the NFLPA decides to eliminate or modify the "junior rule". The rule is largely panned as ineffective and widely ignored. Agents complain that the rule puts those who follow it at a disadvantage and allows financial advisors and marketing agents to take advantage of the situation.
During the combine, the rule was discussed at a meeting with NFLPA staff members, a group of 20 agents and members of the NFLPA’s Executive Committee. The following day, more than 400 agents were told that possible changes in the rule would be considered at the Board of Player Representatives meeting in March.

See also:

Bechta asks - Will The Junior Year Rule Survive?