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HB 406

ATHLETICS: Requires the state Dept. of Education to conduct a study and issue a report relative to interscholastic high school athletics

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Johnson

Louisiana studies whether interscholastic high school athletics could be directed and regulated via a cooperative agreement with a nonprofit, starting 2028-29.

Effective date: 08/01/2026.
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Bill Summary · HB 406

Summary of HB 406 (Louisiana, 2026 Regular Session)

Title

ATHLETICS: Requires the state Department of Education to conduct a study and issue a report relative to interscholastic high school athletics

Purpose and Intent

  • Establishes a formal study by the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) to examine the direction and regulation of interscholastic high school athletics.
  • Evaluates the feasibility and implications of directing and regulating high school athletics through a cooperative endeavor agreement (CEA) with a nonprofit corporation.
  • Aims to ensure governance is fair, transparent, and aligned with academic priorities, with potential implementation for the 2028-2029 school year.

Key Provisions

New Statute Created

  • Adds R.S. 17:176.3, governing the study and potential regulatory framework.

Study Requirements (LDOE)

  • Conduct a feasibility study on directing and regulating interscholastic high school athletics via a cooperative endeavor agreement with a nonprofit corporation.
  • Assume the CEA would adhere to core principles of fairness, impartiality, and responsiveness for student-athletes.

Assumptions the Study Must Address

  1. The CEA would be subject to rules adopted by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE).
  2. The nonprofit would be subject to audits by the Legislative Auditor, and to the Open Meetings Law and Public Records Law, with applicable confidentiality protections for student information.
  3. All interscholastic competitions for public and state-funded nonpublic high schools would follow applicable state law, BESE rules, and the CEA.
  4. The CEA would include minimum provisions on eligibility, student health and safety, penalties, appeals, administration, and game play.
  5. No public high school or state-funded nonpublic high school could be a member of or participate in intrastate competitions sponsored by any traditional intrastate athletic association (i.e., a direct departure from current control by private associations in some models).
  6. The direction and regulation framework would apply starting with the 2028-2029 school year.

Required Report to Legislature

  • The LDOE must submit a written report of findings and conclusions to:
    • House Committee on Education
    • House Committee on Appropriations
    • Senate Committee on Education
    • Senate Committee on Finance
  • Deadline: no later than March 1, 2027
  • The report must include, at minimum:
    1. Potential nonprofit corporations suitable for the CEA.
    2. A plan of action and timeline for implementing the CEA beginning with the 2028-2029 school year.
    3. Funding and cost considerations.
    4. Transitional considerations.
    5. Legislative recommendations necessary to fully implement the CEA-based governance of interscholastic athletics.

Timeline and Procedural Aspects

  • Study and report trigger: The bill mandates a study and formal written report, with findings guiding potential legislation in the 2027 Regular Session.
  • Implementation window (if pursued): If a CEA model is adopted, implementation would begin with the 2028-2029 school year.
  • Interim context: The bill references prior activity from House Concurrent Resolution No. 24 (2025), which created a special committee to study LHSAA policies and governance, with a findings report due February 14, 2026.

Impact and Stakeholders

  • Primary impacted entities:
    • Louisiana Department of Education (responsible for the study and eventual regulatory framework)
    • Louisiana public high schools and state-funded nonpublic high schools
    • Potential nonprofit corporations proposed to enter into a CEA
    • BESE (as the rulemaking authority cited in the study assumptions)
    • Legislative committees (Education, Appropriations, Senate Education, Finance)
  • Potential changes in governance:
    • A move away from private, nonprofit-only oversight toward a cooperative framework overseen by BESE and the state, with greater transparency and compliance with state law (Open Meetings, Public Records, and Legislative Auditor oversight).
    • Introduction of standardized eligibility, health and safety standards, penalties, appeals processes, and game administration under the CEA framework.
    • Elimination of participation by funded public/nonpublic schools in traditional intrastate associations not under the CEA model.

Notes for Readers

  • This bill is primarily a study and planning measure. It does not immediately change current governance of high school athletics but sets the stage for potential future legislation to implement a cooperative governance model.
  • The report due March 1, 2027, will inform whether the Legislature pursues legislative changes to establish a CEA-based regulatory structure beginning in 2028-2029.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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