Senate Bill No. 200, titled the "Make American Athletics Great Again Act," aims to establish restrictions on the compensation, rights, and athletic scholarships of international intercollegiate athletes in Louisiana. The bill amends existing definitions in R.S. 17:3702 to include a specific definition for "international intercollegiate athlete," which refers to students who are not U.S. citizens or nationals and are enrolled in postsecondary institutions while participating in athletic programs. Additionally, it clarifies that the provisions regarding athlete compensation do not apply to nonresident international student athletes unless they have obtained permanent legal status in the United States.

Furthermore, the bill introduces R.S. 17:3705, which limits the athletic scholarships awarded to foreign students to no more than 25% of the total available scholarships for each athletic program in a given academic year. It also stipulates that international intercollegiate athletes are ineligible for scholarships if they have previously received any form of financial assistance from professional sports organizations based on their athletic skills. The bill is set to take effect on August 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
SB200 Original: 17:3702(4)