SB 661 Update: Second Hearing Today (2/17/26) in Ohio House Education Committee

Ohio’s proposed high school NIL rollback legislation continues moving forward.

Today at 2:15 PM, the Ohio House Education Committee will hold its first hearing and testimony on House Bill 661 (formerly referenced publicly as SB 661), legislation that would prohibit middle and high school student-athletes from earning compensation connected to interscholastic athletics.

📍 Committee Meeting Notice (Feb. 17, 2026)

HB 661 was introduced January 29, 2026.

The bill would:

• Prohibit student-athletes in grades 7–12 from earning NIL compensation if connected to participation in interscholastic athletics.

• Make any student who earns prohibited compensation ineligible in the related sport.

• Require regulating bodies (including OHSAA) to establish investigative and appeal procedures.

Importantly, the bill does not specify the duration of ineligibility.

The first preliminary hearing occurred February 4, where sponsors Reps. Bird and Odioso provided testimony and answered questions.

The first hearing on February 4 featured sponsor testimony from Representatives Bird and Odioso.

Today’s second hearing features proponent testimony from several educational stakeholders who have submitted written statements in support of the ban:

Jonathan Cooper - Superintendent, Mason City Schools
Cooper leads Ohio’s largest high school (William Mason HS, ~3,600 students) and oversees a district with 19 consecutive GMC All-Sports Trophies. His testimony emphasizes the need for “intentional leadership” rather than rushing into NIL, noting concerns from coaches about introducing financial incentives into team environments built on shared sacrifice. Cooper frames HB 661 as “a third way” between rejection and acceleration—a pause to build proper safeguards.

Stephen R. Specht - Head Football Coach, Cincinnati St. Xavier High School
A longtime educator and coach, Specht draws parallels to college athletics’ “completely broken system” where students have been eliminated from the student-athlete equation. He questions whether Ohio wants the same chaotic NIL landscape, with no consistent rules and external agents influencing high schoolers, to invade junior high and high school athletics.

Dave Hofer - VP, Board of Education, Springfield Local Schools (Summit County)
Hofer’s testimony focuses on educational priorities, noting that less than 3% of high school athletes play college sports. He raises concerns about NIL creating “super high school teams” with alumni funding, facilities built with public funds being used to spotlight NIL athletes rather than serve all students, and talented players being siphoned from struggling programs through NIL payments.

Chris Steinmann - Superintendent & CEO, Cleveland Lutheran High School Association
Steinmann’s testimony criticizes the OHSAA’s implementation process, stating the NIL policy was “developed in secret without the consultation of member schools” and that schools were given “no real opportunity to debate its merits.” He supports HB 661 as a way to refocus athletics on personal growth, teamwork, and community representation rather than individual monetization.

Matt Herting - Head Boys Basketball Coach, Bishop Verot High School (Fort Myers, FL)
Herting provides an out-of-state perspective from Florida, where NIL has been permitted in high school athletics. He describes the implementation as “a huge mess” that has caused “corrosion of values such as commitment, loyalty, honesty, and selflessness.” He specifically notes how NIL has widened the gap between well-funded programs and those lacking resources, with athletes being lured away “for a small fee to join a better team.”

As today’s hearing unfolds, key questions include:

• Will there be opponent testimony presented, and from whom?

• How will the committee respond to the Florida experience shared by Coach Herting?

• What specific regulatory concerns do committee members raise about OHSAA’s capacity?

• Will there be discussion of potential amendments or modifications to the bill?

I’ll be monitoring the hearing and will provide analysis in upcoming posts as this legislation moves through the process.

Ohio is at a policy crossroads, and they’re in a swinging match.

The OHSAA membership approved NIL in November 2025. Some might say that process was less than idea. Well actually, the majority might say that.

And now less than three months later, the legislature is considering removing it entirely.

This environment will continue to evolve rapidly, and there are a lot of ways it could go, especially if you dive into the progression of what happened in North Carolina to the powers of the NCHSAA being played underneath the North Carolina Department of Education.

• Re-educate families on current NIL rules

• Clarify agent and representation boundaries

• Review intellectual property usage

• Document NIL disclosures in some manner

• Prepare communication plans for either legislative outcome

Policy uncertainty increases risk, but preparation reduces it.

If you need help making sense of this shift, educating stakeholders, or simply understanding what this looks like in your world, that’s exactly why I do this work, and focus solely on high school NIL policy.

So if your school, district, athletic department, league, organization, etc. is looking for:

• NIL education for coaches, staff, families, or student-athletes

• Policy-aligned resources focused on compliance and protection

• Presentations or workshops tailored to your state association’s regulations

Please don’t hesitate to reach out. The schedule is filling up, but I’ll do whatever I can to support you.

I’m always here to help schools navigate this space the right way… with EDUCATIONAL based athletics at the center and integrity leading the way.

— Doc G

Dr. Scott Grant, EdD, MBA, CAA
Founder & CEO, Triple Threat Leadership | NIL-Education.com
📧 scott@triplethreatleadership.com | 📞 419-306-3002
🌐 www.NIL-Education.com