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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 ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 657
BY SENATOR BUFFINGTON
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 law to the contrary, any10
public or private entity, including any nonprofit organization, may make a11
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
notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, they may create privately18
funded scholarship programs to make payments to participating school districts19
on behalf of qualified students. If the division of administration were to20
approve a private scholarship program then any scholarship funds received by21
a participating school district from a private scholarship program on behalf of22
a student shall cause a reduction in the dollar amount of the allocation to the23
ACT No. 780 SB NO. 657 ENROLLED
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
participating school district such that the allocation shall be an amount that is1
equal to the dollar amount that the allocation would have been if no private2
scholarship funds had been received less the amount of private scholarship3
funds received by the participating school district.4
(2) This Subsection shall in no way be interpreted in such a manner that5
a participating school district would receive less benefits from a combination of6
the allocation from the program and the private scholarship funds received than7
it would have received solely from the allocation if there had been no private8
scholarship funded. Therefore, to the extent that any privately funded9
scholarship funds provided for in this Subsection made to a participating school10
district are for an amount less than the amount the participating school district11
would have otherwise received as an allocation if no such private scholarship12
funds had been paid under this Subsection, then the participating school district13
shall receive that difference as an allocation under the program.14
(3) As provided in this Subsection, when a participating school district15
receives privately funded scholarship funds pursuant to this Subsection, the16
annual appropriation of state funds for the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early17
Childhood Program shall be reduced by the amount of the private scholarship18
program funds so received. The commissioner of administration shall19
determine and specify the amount of the reduction from the source of the funds20
to provide the maximum benefit to the state from the privately funded21
scholarship program. The state treasurer shall deposit the amount of the22
reduction as specified by the commissioner of administration into the23
Overcollections Fund created in R. S. 39:100.21 and credit the deposit to an24
account within the fund hereby established and created to be known as the25
"Program Participation Savings Account".26
C. Nothing in this Section shall be construed or implemented in a27
manner that would cause the loss of any federal or other funding for any early28
childhood programs or services, including but not limited to the Cecil J. Picard29
LA 4 Early Childhood Program and the Child Care and Development Fund.30 SB NO. 657 ENROLLED
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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
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED: