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Regular Session, 2014 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 147
BY SENATOR WARD
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the Department of Education to study the feasibility of establishing a
Louisiana high school athletic agency within the department to administer high
school intrastate interscholastic athletics.
WHEREAS, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association was formed by a group
of principals in 1920 to regulate high school interscholastic athletics; and
WHEREAS, the association is currently composed of approximately three hundred
ninety member schools, of which almost eighty percent are public institutions; and
WHEREAS, the principals of the public schools are public employees; and
WHEREAS, the principals of the public schools are members of the association by
virtue of their public employment; and
WHEREAS, many private school members receive state funding through the
Educational Excellence Fund, required services, lunch programs, and school transportation;
and
WHEREAS, nearly ninety thousand Louisiana students annually participate in
athletics; and
WHEREAS, the state has a compelling interest in protecting the due process rights
of its citizens and institutions; and
WHEREAS, until recently, the association was considered to be a quasi-public entity,
until the association sued the state of Louisiana over a legislative audit ( LHSAA v. State of
Louisiana, 107 So.3d 583 (La 2013)); and
WHEREAS, despite the state's compelling interest in interscholastic athletics
conducted for its citizens and the association's membership being comprised of an
overwhelming super majority of public employees, the Louisiana Supreme Court found that
the association was a private corporation, not subject to the Open Meetings Law, and not
subject to legislative audits; and SR NO. 147 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, the association has come under great scrutiny over several eligibility
matters and the alleged lack of due process in its proceedings; and
WHEREAS, since the state of Louisiana has such a compelling interest in the fair
disposition of proceedings for its citizens and institutions, it may be in everyone's best
interests to have high school intrastate interscholastic athletics administered by a state
agency.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby urge and request the Department of Education to study the feasibility of
establishing a Louisiana high school athletic agency within the department to administer
high school intrastate interscholastic athletics.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department report its findings in writing to
the Senate Committee on Education not later than February 1, 2015.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the executive
director of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association and the state superintendent of
education.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE