HLS 12RS-1000 ORIGINAL
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE BILL NO. 348
BY REPRESENTATIVE GREENE
STUDENT/LOANS-SCHOLARSHP: Provides relative to Taylor Opportunity Program for
students awards when insufficient money to fund all eligible students is appropriated
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3048.1(N), to provide relative to Taylor Opportunity Program2
for Students awards when insufficient money to fund all eligible students is3
appropriated by the legislature; to require the number of awards be reduced as4
necessary; to provide relative to the procedure for such reduction; to provide5
limitations; to provide for the adoptions of rules by the Louisiana Student Financial6
Assistance Commission; to provide an effective date; and to provide for related7
matters.8
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:9
Section 1. R.S. 17:3048.1(N) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:10
ยง3048.1. Program awards; eligibility; amounts; limitations; funding; administration11
* * *12
N.(1) In the event the legislature appropriates insufficient money to fund all13
awards made to students qualifying under the provisions of this Section, the number14
of students to whom awards shall be made shall be reduced as necessary pursuant to15
a procedure set out by rule adopted by the administering agency. The procedure16
shall provide for such reduction to be based only on the scores on the American17
College Test or on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, as applicable.and then on the ability18
of each student's family to pay the student's tuition as evidenced by the expected19
family contribution determined by using the standardized federal methodology for20 HLS 12RS-1000 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 348
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establishing student financial need. The procedure shall provide that reductions of1
awards made necessary by insufficient appropriations shall first eliminate the cohort2
of students who score lowest on the American College Test. The procedures shall3
provide that within that cohort of students, those whose families are most able to pay4
the student's tuition shall be eliminated first. After insufficient appropriations5
require the elimination of all students in such cohort, the procedures shall require6
repeating the process with those students in the next highest score cohort.7
(2) Among students denied their awards as provided in this Subsection, those8
students whose families have the least capacity to pay shall be the first to receive9
their awards if monies become available. Any student for whom the expected family10
contribution cannot be determined as provided for in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection11
shall be denied his award until the legislature appropriates sufficient monies to fund12
all awards made to students qualifying under the provisions of this Section.13
* * *14
Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not15
signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature16
by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If17
vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become18
effective on the day following such approval.19
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Greene HB No. 348
Abstract: Relative to TOPS awards when insufficient money to fund all eligible students
is appropriated by the legislature, requires the number of students to whom awards
shall be made to be reduced as necessary and for such reduction to be based only on
ACT/SAT scores.
Relative to Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) awards when insufficient
money to fund all eligible students is appropriated by the legislature:
Present law provides for a reduction, as necessary, in the number of awards made and for
such reduction to occur in accordance with a procedure adopted by rule by the La. Student HLS 12RS-1000 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 348
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are additions.
Financial Assistance Commission (the program's administering agency) in accordance with
the Administrative Procedure Act.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law specifies that the procedure must provide for such reduction to be based on
American College Test (ACT) scores and then on the ability of each student's family to pay
the student's tuition as evidenced by the expected family contribution determined by using
the standardized federal methodology for establishing student financial need.
Proposed law provides instead that the procedure must provide for such reduction to be
based only on the scores on the ACT or on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), as
applicable.
Present law requires that the procedure provide that reductions of awards made necessary
by insufficient appropriations shall first eliminate the cohort of students who score lowest
on the ACT and that within that cohort, those whose families are most able to pay the
student's tuition shall be eliminated first. Provides that after insufficient appropriations
require the elimination of all students in such cohort, the procedure must require repeating
the process with those students in the next highest score cohort.
Proposed law deletes present law.
Present law specifies that among students denied their awards as provided by present law,
those students whose families have the least capacity to pay shall be the first to receive their
awards if monies become available. Provides also that any student for whom the expected
family contribution cannot be determined shall be denied his award until the legislature
appropriates sufficient monies to fund all awards made to qualifying students.
Proposed law deletes present law.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:3048.1(N))