Louisiana study committee recommends state oversight agreement for high school athletics; preserves full takeover as future option

A special legislative study committee reviewing the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) on Monday voted to include a recommendation that the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education authorize the Department of Education to oversee sanctioned high school athletics under a cooperative endeavor agreement (CEA). The committee framed that Tier 2 option as its preferred course of action while noting a more intrusive Tier 1 state‑run model for future consideration.

The recommendation, adopted without recorded objections, would require the Department of Education to enter a time‑limited agreement with a nonprofit to administer and enforce rules governing student participation, health and safety, appeals and penalties, and reporting requirements. The proposal also calls for the Louisiana Legislative Auditor to be authorized to audit any administering organization in the same manner as a state agency.

Speaker Pro Tem Tim Johnson, who presented the options, said the Tier 2 approach is intended to balance oversight and operational continuity. "This only puts the state in an oversight position much like they do in other things," he said, describing the CEA as a way to secure transparency, consistent application of rules and audit authority without immediately displacing existing organizations. He added that the report would recommend Tier 2 while leaving Tier 1 — creation of an Office of Sanctioned Athletics inside DOE — in the document as a consideration for future legislative debate.

Committee members described what they said were recurring problems with the LHSAA during the public hearings: inconsistent enforcement, limited transparency and resistance to oversight. "I see inconsistent enforcement, lack of transparency, limited responsibility, resistance to oversight," Representative Cox said during the meeting. Speaker Pro Tem Johnson summarized testimony from parents, principals and students as evidence the committee needed to provide options the legislature could act on.

The committee also adopted three practical recommendations intended to address transfer and governance issues: (1) allow a one‑time student transfer through a student athlete's junior year; (2) change the current designated House and Senate liaisons on the LHSAA executive committee from nonvoting to voting members; and (3) add a gubernatorial appointee as a voting member of the LHSAA executive committee. Those items were approved by voice with no objections noted on the record.

The committee heard a personal account from a high school junior, Terrell Butler, who said he was declared ineligible after transferring schools and was allowed only to play in scrimmages and on junior varsity for a year. "I was able to play in scrimmages and only JV... I can't dress out for varsity," Butler told the panel. Members cited his testimony as an example of the real‑world impact they were trying to address.

Members acknowledged legal limits: the committee cannot unilaterally change the LHSAA's constitution because the association has long asserted private‑corporation status in court. The transcript records committee discussion that a 2013 court ruling had affirmed that approach and that any statutory changes would require legislation, committee referral and debate.

The committee instructed staff to finalize the report, add the adopted findings and recommendations, make technical corrections, and submit the report to the House and Senate education committees (per HCR 24) and to LHSAA. The final report will present Tier 2 as the committee's recommendation and include Tier 1 as a non‑recommended option for consideration by the broader legislature.

Next steps: staff will incorporate today's adoptions into the written report and distribute it to the legislative education committees and to LHSAA for their information. Any statutory implementation would require separate legislation and appropriation action.

Votes at a glance: adopt minutes — approved (voice; no objections recorded); adopt committee findings — approved (voice; no objections recorded); adopt recommendation 1 (one‑time transfer through junior year) — approved (voice); adopt recommendation 2 (legislative liaisons as voting members) — approved (voice); adopt recommendation 3 (governor appointee as voting member) — approved (voice); adopt Tier 2 recommendation and include Tier 1 as consideration — approved (voice); authorize staff to finalize and send report — approved (voice).

The meeting closed after committee acknowledgements and thanks to staff and outside contributors.