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Regular Session, 2014
SENATE BILL NO. 126
BY SENATOR NEVERS
TOPS. Provides relative to TOPS-Tech Early Start award. (gov sig)
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3048.5(B)(1), (D), (F) and (G), relative to the TOPS-Tech2
Early Start Award; to provide for purpose; to provide for eligibility; to provide for3
reporting; and to provide for related matters.4
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:5
Section 1. R.S. 17:3048.5(B)(1), (D), (F) and (G) are hereby amended and reenacted6
to read as follows:7
ยง3048.5. TOPS-Tech Early Start Award; purpose; eligibility; award amounts8
limitations; administration; implementation; reports9
* * *10
B.(1) A TOPS-Tech Early Start Award may be used to fund any technical11
or applied course leading to an Industry Based Certification, a Certificate of12
Applied Sciences, and a Certificate of Technical Sciences at a Louisiana public13
postsecondary education institution for the purpose of pursuing an industry-based14
occupational or vocational education credential as defined by the Board of Regents15
when such credential also meets all of the following conditions certification or16
certificate is approved by the Workforce Investment Council as meeting the17 SB NO. 126
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following requirements:1
(a) Is identified by the Occupation Forecasting Conference as a credential for2
an occupation in top demand in Louisiana.3
(b) Is recognized by the State Industry-Based Certification Leadership4
Council.5
(c) Is approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education6
and by the Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical Colleges.7
* * *8
D. To be eligible for an initial TOPS-Tech Early Start Award, a student shall9
meet each of the following conditions and comply with other applicable provisions10
of this Section and administering agency rules:11
(1) Be in the eleventh or twelfth grade in a Louisiana public school.12
(2) Have prepared a five-year education and career plan, including a sequence13
of related courses with a career focus as provided by Subpart A-1 of Part III of14
Chapter 1 of this Title.15
(3) Have a cumulative high school grade point average on all courses16
attempted of not less than 2.0 when calculated on a 4.0 scale.17
(4) Have at least the minimum scores required to pass the mathematics and18
English portions of the graduation exit exam established by the State Board of19
Elementary and Secondary Education.20
(5) Score at least fifteen on the English subsection and fifteen on the21
mathematics subsection of the ACT PLAN assessment administered as part of22
Louisiana's Educational Planning and Assessment System.23
* * *24
F.(1) The provisions of this Section shall be administered by the Louisiana25
Student Financial Assistance Commission, herein referred to as the "administering26
agency". Except as otherwise provided by this Section, the authority granted to and27
limitations placed on the administering agency by R.S. 17:3048.1 relative to28
administering other awards pursuant to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students29 SB NO. 126
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shall be deemed to apply also to the administration of the TOPS-Tech Early Start1
Award.2
(2) The agency shall adopt, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure3
Act, rules to implement and administer the provisions of this Section. Such rules4
shall include but not be limited to necessary guidelines, policies, procedures, forms,5
and time lines.6
(3) The administering agency, in accordance with a plan approved by the7
Board of Regents, may implement the provisions of this Section initially on a pilot8
basis. However, if implemented on a pilot basis, it is the intention of the legislature9
that full implementation be achieved at the earliest time possible.10
G. Prior to the convening of each regular legislative session, the Board of11
Regents, in consultation with the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance12
Commission, shall provide to the governor, the House Committee on Education, and13
the Senate Committee on Education a written review and analysis of TOPS-Tech14
Early Start awards relative to award use by students and the benefits therefrom as15
well as the impact on subsequent use by students of TOPS-Tech awards.16
Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not17
signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature18
by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If19
vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become20
effective on the day following such approval.21
The original instrument was prepared by Alan Miller. The following digest,
which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was prepared
by Jeanne Johnston.
DIGEST
Nevers (SB 126)
Present law provides that a TOPS-Tech Early Start Award may be used at a Louisiana public
postsecondary education institution for the purpose of pursuing an industry-based
occupational or vocational education credential as defined by the Board of Regents when
such credential also meets all of the following conditions:
(1)Is identified by the Occupation Forecasting Conference as a credential for an
occupation in top demand in Louisiana. SB NO. 126
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(2)Is recognized by the State Industry-Based Certification Council.
(3)Is approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and by the
Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical Colleges.
Proposed law expands the use of the award so that it may be used to fund any technical or
applied course leading to an Industry Based Certification, a Certificate of Applied Sciences,
and a Certificate of Technical Sciences at a Louisiana public postsecondary education
institution when such certification or certificate is approved by the Workforce Investment
Council as meeting the following requirements:
(1)Is identified by the Occupation Forecasting Conference as a credential for an
occupation in top demand in Louisiana.
(2)Is recognized by the State Industry-Based Certification Leadership Council.
Proposed law eliminates the requirement that credentials be approved by BESE and by the
Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical Colleges.
Present law authorizes the administering agency, in accordance with a plan approved by the
Board of Regents, to implement the provisions of present law initially on a pilot basis.
However, if implemented on a pilot basis, it is the intention of the legislature that full
implementation be achieved at the earliest time possible.
Proposed law repeals present law.
Present law provides that in order to be eligible for an initial TOPS-Tech Early Start Award,
a student shall meet each of the following conditions and comply with other applicable
provisions of present law and administering agency rules:
(1)Be in the eleventh or twelfth grade in a Louisiana public school.
(2)Have prepared a five-year education and career plan, including a sequence of related
courses with a career focus as provided by present law.
(3)Have a cumulative high school grade point average on all courses attempted of not
less than 2.0 when calculated on a 4.0 scale.
(4)Have at least the minimum scores required to pass the mathematics and English
portions of the graduation exit exam established by BESE.
(5)Score at least 15 on the English subsection and 15 on the mathematics subsection of
the ACT PLAN assessment administered as part of Louisiana's Educational Planning
and Assessment System.
Proposed law eliminates the requirement that the student must have at least the minimum
scores required to pass the mathematics and English portions of the graduation exit exam
established by BESE.
Present law provides that prior to the convening of each regular legislative session, the
Board of Regents, in consultation with the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance
Commission (LASFAC), shall provide to the governor, the House Committee on Education,
and the Senate Committee on Education a written review and analysis of TOPS-Tech Early
Start awards relative to award use by students and the benefits therefrom as well as the
impact on subsequent use by students of TOPS-Tech awards.
Proposed law requires that LASFAC, rather than the Board of Regents, issue the report
currently required by present law. SB NO. 126
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Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:3048.5(B)(1), (D), (F) and (G))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Education to the
original bill
1. Makes technical correction.