ATHLETICS: Provides relative to the name, image, and likeness of intercollegiate and interscholastic athletes (EN NO IMPACT GF EX See Note)
HB 513 revises Louisiana law governing name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights for both intercollegiate and interscholastic athletes. For college athletes, the bill states that participation in athletics should not prevent an athlete from earning compensation from the commercial use of the athlete’s name, image, or likeness, and it expands the law’s definitions and institutional responsibilities. It also allows athletes to obtain representation from registered athlete agents, marketing representatives, or licensed attorneys, and requires disclosure to the institution of NIL contracts valued at $600 or more.
The bill also creates a new section for high school athletes, expressly allowing them to earn NIL compensation subject to restrictions. It bars schools and athletic organizations from making athletes ineligible solely because they receive NIL compensation or representation, but it prohibits certain categories of endorsements, including alcohol, gambling, cannabis, tobacco, weapons, adult entertainment, and controlled substances. It also limits NIL activity during academic or team-related activities, restricts use of school facilities and trademarks without permission, requires disclosure of proposed agreements, and preserves the athlete’s status as a student rather than an employee.
On the institutional side, the bill requires each postsecondary management board to adopt policies implementing NIL rules for schools under its jurisdiction. Those policies must address compensation, school involvement, use of institutional marks and facilities, professional representation, educational resources, compliance procedures, and a designated contact for NIL matters. The bill also provides liability protections for institutions and their staff for ordinary eligibility and policy decisions, while preserving liability for gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
The bill’s impact on state law is to expand and formalize Louisiana’s NIL framework, moving it beyond college athletics to include high school athletes and creating a more detailed compliance structure for schools and governing bodies. It affects postsecondary institutions, high schools, athletic associations, athlete agents, attorneys, parents or guardians of minors, and student-athletes who seek endorsement or sponsorship opportunities. It also aligns state law with broader NIL trends while imposing specific state-level restrictions and reporting requirements.
The general sentiment around the bill appears strongly favorable and largely noncontroversial. It passed the House 86-0, the Senate 35-0, and the House concurrence vote 90-0, indicating broad bipartisan support. The main policy balance reflected in the bill is between expanding athlete compensation rights and preserving school authority over academics, team activities, and prohibited endorsement categories.
HB 513 amends and reenacts Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 17 provisions on compensation for intercollegiate and interscholastic athletes and enacts a new Section 3705 for high school NIL rights. It requires postsecondary management boards and institutions to adopt NIL policies, sets disclosure rules for college athletes, establishes high school NIL permissions and limits, and creates liability protections and enforcement mechanisms. The bill also affects related statutes governing athlete agents and professional representation, and it directs the state’s interscholastic athletics authority to provide educational materials.
The bill was received very positively in the Legislature, with unanimous or near-unanimous support at every recorded stage. The vote totals suggest broad agreement that athletes should be able to profit from their name, image, and likeness while schools retain authority over academic and athletic operations. No committee opposition is reflected in the available record, and the final enactment as Act 810 indicates the measure was not politically contentious in the legislative process.
The main points of potential contention in the bill are the limits it places on NIL activity and the extent of school and governing-body control. The bill allows compensation but prohibits NIL deals involving alcohol, gambling, cannabis, tobacco, weapons, adult entertainment, and controlled substances for high school athletes, and it lets schools restrict NIL activity during academic or team-related activities or when it conflicts with existing agreements. Another possible issue is the requirement that athlete representation be properly registered or licensed, along with disclosure obligations and institutional policy adoption before implementation. These provisions reflect a compromise between athlete earning rights and institutional oversight, but no recorded opposition appears in the available votes.