NIL proposal before OHSAA member schools

VW independent sports and submitted information

COLUMBUS – Member schools of the Ohio High School Athletic Association will vote on 14 potential changes to the OHSAA constitution and bylaws during the annual referendum voting period May 1-16. The OHSAA Board of Directors approved the 13 bylaw issues and one constitution issue to go to the membership for a vote. 

Two items of note: 

Issue 12B is a Name, Image and Likeness proposal that mirrors changes made at the collegiate level in the last year. The proposed addition would allow student-athletes to sign endorsement agreements so long as their teams, schools and/or the OHSAA logo are not used and provided there are no endorsements with companies that do not support the mission of education-based athletics (casinos, gambling, alcohol, drugs, tobacco).

In addition, issue 4B would permit a student enrolled at a member public high school that does not sponsor a team sport in which the student desires to participate to petition to play that sport at a public school located in a bordering public school district pursuant to the bordering district’s duly adopted Board of Education resolution.

High school principals will vote electronically on the 14 proposals beginning May 1 and ending at 4 p.m. Monday, May 16. If approved, all items become effective August 1, 2022, unless otherwise noted. A simple majority is needed to pass an item.

A complete text of the 2022 referendum items can be found at: https://ohsaaweb.blob.core.windows.net/files/SchoolResources/refvote/FINAL-2022ReferendumItems.pdf.