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Regular Session, 2014 ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 655
BY SENATOR BUFFINGTON
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3046 and enact R.S. 17:3046.3 and 3048.1(M) and (Y),2
relative to financial assistance for certain qualified students; to authorize public or3
private entities to make certain donations to various education institutions for4
recipients of TOPS awards or GO Grants; to provide for an effective date; and to5
provide for related matters.6
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:7
Section 1. R.S.17:3046 is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 17:3046.3 and8
3048.1(M) and (Y) are hereby enacted to read as follows: 9
§3046. Louisiana GO Grant program; legislative findings10
A. The legislature finds that a college education should be available to all11
qualified students, regardless of their financial means, and declares that the12
Louisiana GO Grant program established by the Board of Regents has enhanced13
access to postsecondary educational opportunities for Louisiana students with14
demonstrated financial need by providing critically needed assistance to help cover15
the cost of attending postsecondary education institutions in the state. The legislature16
further finds that leveraging access to postsecondary education for students with17
demonstrated financial need ensures that all qualified students are afforded an18
opportunity to achieve their full educational potential, increase their overall quality19 SB NO. 655 ENROLLED
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of life, and maximize their contribution to the state's economic development.1
B. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter to the contrary,2
any public or private entity, including any nonprofit organization, may make3
a directed donation to any eligible postsecondary institution for a student who4
is a recipient of a Louisiana GO Grant.5
* * *6
§3046.3. Private Scholarships7
A. Recognizing the success and growth of the Louisiana Go Grant8
program and in order to maintain the long-term financial stability of the9
program, private businesses, industry, foundations, charities, individuals and10
other groups may request from the division of administration that,11
notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, they may create privately12
funded scholarship programs to make payments to eligible colleges and13
universities on behalf of individual students. If the division of administration14
were to approve a private scholarship program then any scholarship funds15
received by an eligible college or university from a private scholarship program16
on behalf of a student shall cause a reduction in the dollar amount of the grant17
award to the eligible college or university attributable to that student such that18
the grant award associated with that student shall be an amount that is equal19
to the dollar amount that the grant would have been if no such private20
scholarship funds had been received less the amount of private scholarship21
funds received by the eligible college or university on behalf of that student.22
B. This Section shall in no way be interpreted in such a manner that a23
student could receive less benefits from a combination of the grants from the24
program and the private scholarship funded on his behalf then he would have25
received solely from the grant program if there had been no private scholarship26
funded on his behalf. Therefore, to the extent that any privately funded27
scholarship funds provided for in this Section made to an eligible college or28
university on behalf of a qualified student are for an amount less than the29
amount a given student would have otherwise received as a grant if no such30 SB NO. 655 ENROLLED
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private scholarship funds had been paid under this Section and the criteria1
established by the Board of Regents, then the eligible college or university shall2
receive that difference on behalf of the student as the student's grant from the3
Louisiana Go Grant program.4
C. As provided in this Section, when an eligible college or university5
receives privately funded scholarship funds on behalf of a student, the state6
funds for the Louisiana Go Grant program shall be reduced by the amount of7
the private scholarship program funds so received. The commissioner of8
administration shall determine and specify the amount of the reduction from9
the source of the funds to provide the maximum benefit to the state from the10
privately funded scholarship program. The state treasurer shall deposit the11
amount of the reduction as specified by the commissioner of administration into12
the Overcollections Fund created in R. S. 39:100.21 and credit the deposit to an13
account within the fund hereby established and created to be known as the14
"Program Participation Savings Account".15
* * *16
§3048.1. Program awards; eligibility; amounts; limitations; funding; administration17
* * *18
M. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter to the contrary,19
any public or private entity, including any nonprofit organization, may make20
a directed donation to any eligible postsecondary institution for a student who21
is a recipient of a Louisiana Taylor Opportunity Program for Students award.22
* * *23
Y.(1) Recognizing the success and growth of the TOPS program and in24
order to maintain the long-term financial stability of the TOPS program,25
private businesses, industry, foundations, charities, and other individuals or26
groups may request from the division of administration that, notwithstanding27
any provision of law to the contrary, they may create scholarship programs to28
make payments to eligible colleges and universities on behalf of individual29
students. If the division of administration were to approve a private scholarship30 SB NO. 655 ENROLLED
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program then any scholarship funds received by an eligible college or university1
from such private scholarship program on behalf of a student shall cause a2
reduction in the dollar amount of the TOPS award associated with that student3
to an amount that is equal to the dollar amount that the award would have been4
if no such private scholarship funds had been received less the amount of5
private scholarship funds received by the eligible college or university.6
(2) This Subsection shall in no way be interpreted in such a manner that7
a student could receive less benefits from a combination of the TOPS award8
from the program and the private scholarship funded on his behalf then he9
would have received solely from the TOPS program if there had been no private10
scholarship funded on his behalf. Therefore, to the extent that any privately11
funded scholarship funds provided for in this Subsection made to an eligible12
college or university on behalf of a qualified student are for an amount less than13
the amount a given student would have otherwise received if no such private14
scholarship funds had been paid as an award under the TOPS Program, then15
the eligible college or university shall receive that difference on behalf of the16
student as the student's award from the TOPS program.17
(3) As provided in this Subsection, when an eligible college or university18
receives privately funded scholarship funds on behalf of a student, the state19
funds for the TOPS program shall be reduced by the amount of the private20
scholarship program funds so received. It is understood and provided that a21
reduction shall not effect the estimated nature of the TOPS appropriation as22
provided in the act or acts that contain such appropriations. The commissioner23
of administration shall determine and specify the amount of the reduction from24
the source of the funds to provide the maximum benefit to the state from the25
privately funded scholarship program. The state treasurer shall deposit the26
amount of such reduction as specified by the commissioner of administration27
into the Overcollections Fund created in R.S. 39:100.21 and credit the deposit28
to an account within the fund hereby established and created to be known as the29
"Program Participation Savings Account".30 SB NO. 655 ENROLLED
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Section 2. This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2014; if vetoed by the governor1
and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become effective on July 1,2
2014, or on the day following such approval by the legislature, whichever is later.3
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED: