The original instrument was prepared by Jay Lueckel. The following digest, which
does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was prepared by Martha
Hess.
DIGEST
Buffington (SB 656)
Present law provides for the establishment of the Student Scholarships for Educational
Excellence scholarship to meet the needs of certain students.
Proposed law retains present law relative to Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence
scholarship and also provides that any public or private entity, including any nonprofit
organization, may make a directed donation to any participating school for a student who is a
recipient of a Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence scholarship.
Proposed law adds a new section to the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence
scholarship that private businesses, industry, foundations, charities, and other groups may request
the division of administration to create privately funded scholarship programs to make payments
to eligible colleges and universities to participating schools on behalf of eligible students.
Proposed law provides that the new private scholarship program shall in no way be interpreted in
such a manner that a student would receive less benefits from the private scholarship than he
would have from the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence scholarship had there been
no private scholarship program.
Proposed law provides relative to the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence
scholarship, when an eligible college or university receives private scholarship funds on behalf of
a student, the annual appropriation of state funds shall be reduced by the amount of the private
scholarship funds so received. The state treasurer shall deposit the amount of the reduction as
specified by the commissioner of administration into the Overcollections Fund and credit the
deposit to an account in the fund known as the "Program Participation Savings Account".
Effective July 1, 2014.
(Amends R.S. 17:4016(A) and (B)(2) and 4017; adds R.S. 17:4019)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Finance to the original bill
1. Removes language regarding funding for the Student Scholarship for Educational
Excellence Program from the minimum foundation program.
2. Removes language regarding the Department of Education transferring scholarship payments to each participating school on behalf of the responsible city
or parish school district.
3. Adds a new section to the Student Scholarship for Educational Excellence
Program that private businesses, industry, foundations, charities, and other groups
may request the division of administration to create privately funded scholarship
programs to make payments to eligible colleges and universities to participating
schools on behalf of eligible students.
4. Provides that the new private scholarship program shall in no way be interpreted
in such a manner that a student would receive less benefits from the private
scholarship than he would have from the Student Scholarship for Educational
Excellence Program had there been no private scholarship program.
5. Provides relative to the Student Scholarship for Educational Excellence Program,
when an eligible college or university receives private scholarship funds on behalf
of a student, the annual appropriation of state funds shall be reduced by the
amount of the private scholarship funds so received. The state treasurer shall
deposit the amount of the reduction as specified by the commissioner of
administration into the Overcollections Fund and credit the deposit to an account
in the fund known as the "Program Participation Savings Account".