HB 2141

Present law classifies as confidential and not open for public inspection records maintained by an intercollegiate athletics program of a public institution of higher education if the records contain information relating to game or player integrity and th at is traditionally not revealed publicly due to the public institution of higher education's need to maintain competitiveness in the sport to which the records relate. Such provision is scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2026. This bill: (1) Removes the repeal date for the present law exception to the open records act; (2) Adds an additional exception for records of or relating to an intercollegiate athletics program of a public institution of higher education if the records are commercial contracts entered into solely in furtherance of an intercollegiate athletics program and contain information that if disclosed to the public, reasonably could be used to affect the economic advantage of a business over its competit ors. The new exception will be repealed July 1, 2033; and (3) Specifies that neither exception affords a private cause of action, liability, or basis for injunctive relief or equitable relief by any private person or entity except for a business asserting that disclosure of information would undermine an econo mic advantage over its competitor. ON MARCH 19, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 2141, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 a dds that, in circumstances where records are deemed confidential and not open for public inspection on the basis of this bill's exemption for certain commercial contracts, the exemption must not be construed to treat as confidential the information of the aggregate amount of state appropriated funds expended under such a contract, the existence of such a contract, the identity of the contracting parties of such a contract, or the general topic of such a contract.