Louisiana House Moves to Shield Athlete Revenue Records!

The Louisiana House voted 91-4 this week to create new public records exemptions allowing universities to keep private how they distribute revenue-sharing funds to student-athletes.

House Bill 608, authored by Rep. Tehmi Chassion, D-Lafayette, would expand existing protections that already shield Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) contract details. The bill would now cover payments made directly by universities under new revenue-sharing programs.

The move follows a $2.8 billion NCAA antitrust settlement in 2025 that allows Division I schools, including LSU, to share up to $20.5 million annually with athletes — with increases expected in the coming years.

Revenue sharing differs from NIL deals in that funds come directly from athletic department revenues such as:

• TV contracts
• Ticket sales
• Sponsorships

rather than third-party endorsements.

Chassion said the bill aims to clarify how schools allocate funds in a changing college sports landscape and also pointed to concerns about backlash tied to public disclosure of athlete compensation.

The measure drew four “no” votes from Democratic Reps. Robby Carter, Wilford Carter Sr., Mandie Landry, and Ed Larvadain III.

If approved by the Senate, the bill would further limit public access to financial details within college athletics programs.

Supporters say the change protects athletes and schools in a rapidly evolving system, while critics argue it reduces transparency in how public institutions handle athletic funds.