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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Regular Session, 2014
SENATE BILL NO. 367
BY SENATOR CROWE
TOPS. Creates the TOPS-Tech Plus award. (8/1/14)
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3048.1(H)(2) and to enact R.S. 17:3048.1(B)(6), relative to2
the Louisiana Taylor Opportunity Program for Students; to provide for the TOPS-3
Tech Plus Award; to provide relative to initial and continuing eligibility4
requirements; to provide for award applications; to provide for award amounts; to5
provide relative to the duration of award eligibility; to provide for effectiveness; and6
to provide for related matters.7
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:8
Section 1. R.S. 17:3048.1(H)(2) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.9
17:3048.1(B)(6) is hereby enacted to read as follows:10
ยง3048.1. Program awards; eligibility; amounts; limitations; funding; administration11
* * *12
B.13
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(6)(a) Beginning with the 2014-2015 award year and continuing15
thereafter, as part of the Louisiana Taylor Opportunity Program for Students,16
any student who has been awarded and maintained eligibility for a TOPS-Tech17 SB NO. 367
SLS 14RS-697 ORIGINAL
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Award and who has successfully completed the requirements for, and has been1
awarded, an associate degree with a minimum cumulative grade point average2
of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale while enrolled in an eligible college or university as3
provided in Subsection A of this Section, shall qualify for a "TOPS-Tech Plus4
Award".5
(b) The state shall financially assist the recipient of a TOPS-Tech Plus6
Award who enrolls on a full-time basis in a public college or university in this7
state or a regionally accredited independent college or university in this state8
that is a member of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and9
Universities, to pursue an academic associate or undergraduate degree.10
(c) Any student who applies and qualifies for a TOPS-Tech Plus Award,11
who enrolled in an eligible college or university to pursue an academic associate12
or undergraduate degree, shall be awarded by the state the same amount13
provided to a student who is awarded the Opportunity Award in accordance14
with Paragraph (A)(2) of this Section.15
(d) Beginning with the 2014-2015 award year and thereafter, the16
administering agency shall select up to one hundred students from among those17
qualifying to receive a TOPS-Tech Plus Award in accordance with selection18
criteria based upon a student's final cumulative grade point average at the time19
of graduation with an associate degree. Additional criteria may be established20
by rule to resolve issues surrounding tie scores.21
(e) To maintain continued state payment of the amount provided to a22
recipient of a TOPS-Tech Plus Award, a student shall meet the continuation23
requirements established for a recipient of the Opportunity Award as provided24
in Paragraph (A)(4) of this Section.25
(f) The administering agency shall provide by rule adopted in accordance26
with the Administrative Procedure Act for the administration of the27
TOPS-Tech Plus Award, including application and registration procedures,28
timelines and deadlines, and reporting requirements for eligible colleges and29 SB NO. 367
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words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
universities.1
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H.3
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(2)(a) No student shall be eligible for tuition payment pursuant to this Section5
for the TOPS-Tech Award for more than two years unless an extension is granted by6
the administering agency in accordance with its rules.7
(b) No student shall be eligible for tuition payment pursuant to this8
Section for the TOPS-Tech Plus Award for more than four semesters or an9
equivalent number of units in an eligible institution that operates on a schedule10
based on units other than semesters, unless an extension is granted by the11
administering agency in accordance with its rules.12
* * *13
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Mary Dozier O'Brien.
DIGEST
Crowe (SB 367)
Present law provides a program of merit scholarships for first-time freshmen attending
public postsecondary institutions or regionally accredited independent colleges or
universities in this state who meet a specified GPA, ACT score, and core curriculum
requirements as follows:
1. Opportunity Award in the amount of actual tuition for attendance at a public college
or university, or the state average of public four-year colleges' tuition for attendance
at a regionally accredited independent college or university.
2. Performance Award in the amount of actual tuition plus $200 per semester for
attendance at a public college or university, or the state average of public four-year
colleges' tuition plus $200 per semester for attendance at a regionally accredited
independent college or university.
3. Honors Award in the amount of actual tuition plus $400 per semester for attendance
at a public college or university, or the state average of public four-year colleges'
tuition plus $400 per semester for attendance at a regionally accredited independent
college or university.
4. TOPS-Tech Award in the amount of actual tuition for those enrolled in an eligible
postsecondary institution pursuing nonacademic skills or occupational training.
5. TOPS-Tech Early Start Award in the amount of $150/three-hour or equivalent time
course taken by eligible 11th and 12th grade high school students enrolled in
Louisiana public postsecondary education and pursuing an industry-based SB NO. 367
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words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
occupational or vocational-technical credential.
Proposed law retains present law and establishes an additional award, the TOPS-Tech Plus
Award, for TOPS-Tech Award recipients who have been awarded an associate degree with
a minimum GPA of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale and who enroll in an eligible college or university
to pursue an academic associate or undergraduate degree.
Proposed law provides that the recipient of a TOPS-Tech Plus Award shall receive from the
state an amount equal to that provided to recipients of the Opportunity Award.
Proposed law provides that beginning with the 2014-2015 award year and thereafter, the
office of student financial assistance is required to select up to 100 students from among
those who qualify to receive the TOPS-Tech Plus Award based upon a student's final
cumulative GPA at the time of graduation with an associate degree. Authorizes additional
criteria to be established by rule to resolve the issue of tie scores.
Proposed law requires TOPS-Tech Plus Award recipients to meet the continuation
requirements established in present law for Opportunity Award recipients.
Proposed law limits eligibility for the TOPS-Tech Plus Award to four semesters or an
equivalent number of units in an eligible institution that operates on a schedule based on
units other than semesters, unless an extension is granted by the administering agency in
accordance with its rules.
Proposed law requires the office of student financial assistance to adopt rules in accordance
with the APA for the administration of the TOPS-Tech Plus Award.
Effective August 1, 2014.
(Amends R.S. 17:3048.1(H)(2); adds R.S. 17:3048.1(B)(6))