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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. 657
BY SENATOR BUFFINGTON
FUNDS/FUNDING. Authorizes public or private entities to make certain donations to
participating school systems for children enrolled in the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early
Childhood Program classes. (7/1/14)
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 17:407.26, relative to financial assistance for participating school systems2
with early childhood programs; to authorize public or private entities to make certain3
donations to students enrolled in the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program4
classes; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.5
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:6
Section 1. R.S. 17:407.26 is hereby enacted to read as follows: 7
ยง407.26. The Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program; early childhood8
development and enrichment activity classes; financial assistance9
A. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section to the contrary,10
any public or private entity, including any nonprofit organization, may make11
a directed donation to any participating school district for a student who is12
enrolled in Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program classes.13
B.(1) Recognizing the success and growth of the Cecil J. Picard LA 414
Early Childhood Program and in order to maintain the long term financial15
stability of the program, private businesses, industry, foundations, charities,16
and other groups may request from the division of administration that,17 SB NO. 657
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words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, they may create privately1
funded scholarship programs to make payments to participating school districts2
on behalf of qualified students. If the division of administration were to3
approve a private scholarship program then any scholarship funds received by4
an eligible college or university from a private scholarship program on behalf5
of a student shall cause a reduction in the dollar amount of the allocation to the6
participating school district such that the allocation shall be an amount that is7
equal to the dollar amount that the allocation would have been if no private8
scholarship funds had been received less the amount of private scholarship9
funds received by the participating school district.10
(2) This Subsection shall in no way be interpreted in such a manner that11
a participating school district would receive less benefits from a combination of12
the allocation from the program and the private scholarship funds received then13
it would have received solely from the allocation if there had been no private14
scholarship funded. Therefore, to the extent that any privately funded15
scholarship funds provided for in this Subsection made to a participating school16
district are for an amount less than the amount the participating school district17
would have otherwise received as an allocation if no such private scholarship18
funds had been paid under this Subsection, then the participating school district19
shall receive that difference as an allocation under the program.20
(3) As provided in this Subsection, when a participating school district21
receives privately funded scholarship funds pursuant to this Subsection, the22
annual appropriation of state funds for the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early23
Childhood Program shall be reduced by the amount of the private scholarship24
program funds so received. The state treasurer shall deposit the amount of the25
reduction as specified by the commissioner of administration into the26
Overcollections Fund created in R. S. 39:100.21 and credit the deposit to an27
account within the fund hereby established and created to be known as the28
"Program Participation Savings Account".29 SB NO. 657
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
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
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jay R. Lueckel.
DIGEST
Buffington (SB 657)
Present law establishes the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program to serve
participating city, parish, and other local public school systems. Provides for eligibility,
requirements, and funding provisions.
Proposed law retains present law and also provides that any public or private entity,
including any nonprofit organization, may make a directed donation to any participating
school district for a student who is enrolled in Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program
classes.
Proposed law enacts new section of law for financial assistance relative to the Cecil J. Picard
LA 4 Early Childhood Program.
Proposed law provides that private businesses, industry, foundations, charities, individuals
and other groups may request the division of administration to create a privately funded
scholarship program to make payments to participating school districts on behalf of qualified
students.
Proposed law requires that the new private scholarship program shall in no way be
interpreted in such a manner that a participating school district would receive less benefits
from the private scholarship than it would have from the existing Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early
Childhood Program had there been no private scholarship program.
Proposed law further provides that when an eligible school district receives private
scholarship funds, 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.
(Adds R.S. 17:407.26)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Finance to the original
bill
1. Enacts new section of law for financial assistance relative to the Cecil J.
Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program.
2. Adds a new section to the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program that
private businesses, industry, foundations, charities, individuals and other
groups may request the division of administration to create a privately funded
scholarship program to make payments to participating school districts on SB NO. 657
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
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behalf of qualified students.
3. Provides that the new private scholarship program shall in no way be
interpreted in such a manner that a participating school district would receive
less benefits from the private scholarship than it would have from the
existing Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program had there been no
private scholarship program.
4. Relative to the scholarship programs for the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early
Childhood Program, provides that when an eligible school district receives
private scholarship funds, 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".