Louisiana House adopts resolution to form special committee to study LHSAA governance

The Louisiana House of Representatives on May 7 adopted House Concurrent Resolution 24, creating a special legislative committee to study the Louisiana High School Athletic Association’s governance, transparency and effects on student-athletes.

The resolution, offered by Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Johnson, passed 92–2. It asks the House and Senate to form a joint committee to collect information from the LHSAA and other stakeholders and report back to the legislature.

Lawmakers said the committee is meant to gather facts and open dialogue rather than immediately change law. "I wanted to give the body an opportunity to engage in conversation with the organization," Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Johnson said on the House floor. "This is not a witch hunt. This is not an attempt to get anybody or gig anybody but to do better for our student athletes." The adopted amendment broadened the study to include private schools as well as public schools and authorized the committee to operate under the rules of whichever chamber supplies the committee chair.

Members described recurring complaints they had received from parents, coaches and school officials about fairness and access to records. Representative Rhett Bagley described past litigation and asked what public funds the LHSAA receives; the discussion included the assertion that the association collects admission revenue, sponsorships and maintains facilities. "They get the funds off of admission from our young people on certain athletic events," Johnson said during debate. Representative Miller raised a separate concern about a recent LHSAA rule that he said could bar schools that sue the association twice from membership: "They just passed a rule that if any school bring them to court 2 times, that they can kick them out of the LHSAA forever?"

Supporters said the move is intended to calm a wave of knee‑jerk bills, gather information, and—if possible—build a cooperative relationship with LHSAA leadership. Several members urged that the committee invite the LHSAA to cooperate and produce records. Representative Hughes, who said he had received calls statewide after a media interview, described the resolution as rooted in "transparency oversight responsibility to get facts from an organization that far too long has been shrouded in secrecy."

The resolution does not change current law and creates no new regulatory authority; it is a concurrent resolution directing the legislature to form the study committee and request cooperation from the LHSAA. The House opened the resolution for co‑authorship after adoption and recorded 60 co‑authors on the measure.

The committee’s membership, schedule and reporting deadlines will be established under the rules the resolution authorized; the resolution also contemplates that the committee may recommend legislative changes after completing its work.

Lawmakers who spoke said the immediate goal is information collection and transparency; any follow‑up legislation would be considered only after the committee’s report.