Meeting took place on Tuesday, December 20, 2022

(12-21-22) Illinois High School Association (IHSA) member schools approved all eight amendment proposals that appeared on the all-school ballot during the annual by-law referendum process that ended on December 19, 2022.

Full text of initial 23 proposals, including the eight that advanced to the all-school ballot, can be found by clicking here.

Here is a summary of the proposals and the vote totals. (The numbers in parentheses indicate the total of yes, no, and no opinion votes. For an amendment to pass, yes votes must outnumber no votes.)

Proposal 1 (438-46-31): Expands the representatives who can be nominated and elected to the Legislative Commission representing Districts to include Official Representatives and adds administrators from underrepresented schools to represent the minority at-large seats on the commission.

Proposal 2 (359-123-33): Adds a requirement for any student to meet the attendance by-law to be in attendance for at least one class at the member school in addition to other classes taken in a program approved by the member school.

Proposal 6 (314-171-27): Extends the opportunity for limited eligibility to be granted to students who do not meet the transfer by-law when transferring prior to the start of the junior year.

Text of By-law with Proposed Change
Modify By-law 3043.3 – Residence


In the event the student transfers attendance from any high school to any other high school, and the transfer is not in
conjunction with a change in residence by both the student and his or her parents, custodial parent, surviving parent,
or guardian to a residence outside the boundaries of the public school district attendance area the family originally
resided in, the Executive Director may grant eligibility based on documentation that the transfer met one of the
following conditions:


• The student is enrolling for the first time in the student’s home public member high school with boundaries;
• Change in family’s financial position;
• Extenuating circumstances documented by the sending school’s principal or official representative;
• Limited eligibility may be granted when the student transfers schools prior to the beginning of the student’s
sophomore junior year.

Proposal 7 (439-58-17): Modify the 8-semesters of eligibility to be 8 consecutive semesters of eligibility permitting no pause in semesters of eligibility after starting as a ninth grader.

Proposal 8 (327-145-41): Adds language that would prohibit school personnel from engaging in any conversation related to athletic participation with individuals representing or employed by a private athletic organization who are speaking about a student-athlete.

Proposal 9 (488-11-14): By-law 3.082 increases the contribution permitted from a school towards a ring/memento for winning a state championship from $200 to $300.

Proposal 10 (419-50-46): By-law 3.083 and new sections: Adds language related to Name Image and Likeness (NIL) activities by students by creating specific limitations of those activities.

Text of By-laws with Proposed Changes
Modify By-laws 3.083, Add By-law 3.084, 3.085, and New By-law 3.086 – Amateurism


3.083 A student in a member school may accept any other award for participation in an athletic contest, or for athletic honors or recognition subject to these By-laws, which does not exceed $75 $150 in fair market value, in the following sports: badminton, baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, wrestling, and any other sport in which the student’s school provides interscholastic competition. Provided the award shall not be provided in exchange for any athletic performance or achievement; the award shall not be provided as an
inducement to attend a particular member school or to remain enrolled in any member school; and the award shall not be provided by a member school or an agent of a member school. In addition, a student in a member school may receive and retain items of wearing apparel which are worn for non-school athleticcompetition as part of a team uniform provided for and worn by the student during competition.

3.084 A student in a member school may earn compensation from the use of the name, image, and likeness (“NIL Activity”), subject to these By-laws and Board Policy number XXXX. For purposes of this By-law, “NIL Activity” means any activity for which a student in a member school performs any work, service, endorsement, or makes any appearance, in exchange for compensation or other remuneration as determined by the Board of defined in the Board Policies.


3.084 5 A student in a member school may accept a school letter for an interscholastic sport, regardless of cost

3.085 6 Violation of the provisions of By-laws 3.081, 3.082, 3.083, or 3.084, or 3.085 shall cause ineligibility in the
sport in which the violation occurred. An official ruling must be secured from the Executive Director
before any student who violates these rules may be reinstated to eligibility.

Proposed Board Policy:
IHSA By-law 3.084 permits a student athlete to earn compensation from the use of that student’s name, image, and
likeness defined as “NIL Activity.” NIL Activity is subject to the following limitations:


1. The student may not use the IHSA name, logos, or trademarks in association with receiving the
compensation or imply that the IHSA approves of the NIL Activity as that term is defined in the By-law;
2. The student may not use the name, logos, mascots, or trademarks of any member school in association
with receiving the compensation or imply that any member school approves of the NIL Activity;
3. The student may not use any member school’s facilities in association with the NIL Activity;
4. The student may not engage in any NIL Activity during school hours, while traveling to or from any IHSA
event, or during an IHSA event including any practice, rehearsal, meeting, game, tournament, or any
similar event that the Board deems inappropriate or distracting;5. The student may not engage in any NIL Activity associated with gaming/gambling, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, cannabis, banned or illegal substances, adult entertainment products or services, firearms or other weapons; or any other product or service that the Board deems inappropriate or distracting; and
6. The student is responsible for determining what, if any effect, the NIL Activity may have on eligibility with
the NCAA, NJCAA, and/or NAIA.


Below is a summary of member school participation in the amendment process over the past 12 years:

YearType of BallotProposals on BallotSchools VotingPercentage Voting
2011-12online14500 of 79463.0%
2012-13online11464 of 80257.8%
2013-14online11463 of 80857.3%
2014-15online/email6 (3 rejected)613 of 81075.7%
2015-16online/email3597 of 81173.6%
2016-17online/email8589 of 81172.6%
2017-18 online/email 6 (1 rejected)609 of 81175.1%
2018-19 online/email 11 702 of 818 85.8%
2019-20online/email11 (1 rejected)702 0f 81286.5%
2020-21online/email3587 of 81372.2%
2021-22online/email7472 of 81557.9%
2022-23online/email8513 of 81363.0%
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