HLS 12RS-4704 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2012
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 134
BY REPRESENTATIVE BARROW
STUDENT/LOANS-SCHOLARSHP: Requests the La. Student Financial Assistance
Commission, in consultation with the Board of Regents, to study the feasibility of
requiring drug testing for students to qualify for a TOPS award
A RESOLUTION1
To urge and request the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission, in consultation2
with the Board of Regents, to study the feasibility of requiring drug testing for3
students to qualify for a Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) award and4
to report its findings and recommendations to the House Committee on Education5
prior to the convening of the 2013 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana.6
WHEREAS, TOPS is Louisiana's merit-based scholarship program that awards7
qualifying students tuition payments for up to eight semesters at eligible Louisiana8
postsecondary education institutions; and9
WHEREAS, the projected number of TOPS recipients for Fiscal Year 2012-2013 is10
close to forty-two thousand with a total funding of nearly one hundred seventy million11
dollars; and12
WHEREAS, drug testing is viewed by many as a means to prevent, deter, and detect13
drug use among students; and14
WHEREAS, TOPS awards are funded with taxpayer dollars, therefore it is only15
fitting that a study be conducted to determine the feasibility of requiring drug testing for16
students to qualify for TOPS in order to ensure that such taxpayer dollars are being used to17
help students who have education as a priority and not students who are engaging in habits18
or practices that could result in them quitting college and wasting their TOPS award.19 HLS 12RS-4704 ORIGINAL
HR NO. 134
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the1
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the Louisiana Student Financial2
Assistance Commission, in consultation with the Board of Regents, to study the feasibility3
of requiring drug testing for students to qualify for a Taylor Opportunity Program for4
Students award and to submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the5
House Committee on Education prior to the convening of the 2013 Regular Session of the6
Legislature of Louisiana.7
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the8
chairman of the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission, the executive director9
of the office of student financial assistance, the chairman of the Board of Regents, and the10
commissioner of higher education.11
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)]
Barrow HR No. 134
Requests the La. Student Financial Assistance Commission, in consultation with the Board
of Regents, to study the feasibility of requiring drug testing for students to qualify for a
TOPS award and to submit its findings and recommendations to the House education
committee prior to the 2013 R.S.