HLS 15RS-773 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 181
BY REPRESENTATIVE BROWN
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
STUDENT/LOANS-SCHOLARSHP: Provides relative to student citizenship requirements
for TOPS eligibility purposes
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3048.1(A)(1)(a)(iii)(aa) and (ee)(II) and to enact R.S.
3 17:3048.1(A)(1)(a)(iii)(gg), relative to receipt of awards from the Louisiana Taylor
4 Opportunity Program for Students; to provide relative to citizenship requirements for
5 receipt of such award; and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 17:3048.1(A)(1)(a)(iii)(aa) and (ee)(II) are hereby amended and
8reenacted and R.S. 17:3048.1(A)(1)(a)(iii)(gg) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง3048.1. Program awards; eligibility; amounts; limitations; funding; administration
10 A.(1) As part of the Louisiana Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, the
11 state shall financially assist any student who enrolls on a full-time basis in a public
12 college or university in this state or a regionally accredited independent college or
13 university in the state that is a member of the Louisiana Association of Independent
14 Colleges and Universities, hereafter in this Chapter referred to collectively as
15 "eligible colleges or universities", to pursue an academic undergraduate degree or,
16 as provided by this Subsection, skill or occupational training as defined by the
17 administering agency including a vocational or technical education certificate or
18 diploma program or a nonacademic undergraduate degree, and who meets the
19 qualifications of Subparagraph (b), (c), or (d) of this Paragraph and all of the
20 applicable following qualifications:
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HB NO. 181
1 (a)
2 * * *
3 (iii)(aa) For a student graduating from high school during the 1999-2000
4 school year or thereafter, is a citizen of the United States and if an independent
5 student, as defined by the administering agency, is a resident of Louisiana or if a
6 dependent student, as defined by the administering agency, has a parent or court-
7 ordered custodian who is a resident of Louisiana during the twenty-four months
8 preceding the date of the student's graduation from high school, or is eligible
9 pursuant to the alternative means of determining residency for dependent students
10 provided by Paragraph (C)(4) of this Section, or is the dependent child of a resident
11 of Louisiana on active duty with the United States armed forces who is stationed
12 outside Louisiana but who claims Louisiana as his official state of legal residence
13 and who has filed a Louisiana state income tax return for the most recent two years,
14 or is the dependent child of a nonresident of Louisiana on active duty with the United
15 States armed forces who is stationed in Louisiana under permanent change of station
16 orders and who not later than one hundred eighty days after reporting to such station
17 changes his military personnel records to establish Louisiana as his official state of
18 legal residence and complies with Louisiana income tax laws and regulations for the
19 time period while stationed in Louisiana. A student who graduates from high school
20 prior to the 2018-2019 school year and who is not a citizen of the United States but
21 who is eligible to apply for such citizenship shall be deemed to satisfy the citizenship
22 requirement of this Subitem if within sixty days after the date the student attains the
23 age of majority, the student applies to become a citizen of the United States and
24 obtains such citizenship within one year after the date of application.
25 * * *
26 (ee) With regard to meeting the requirements of being a citizen of the United
27 States:
28 * * *
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HB NO. 181
1 (II) For a student graduating from high school during the 2002-2003 school
2 year and thereafter prior to the 2018-2019 school year, a student who is not a citizen
3 of the United States but who is a permanent resident, as defined by the United States
4 Immigration and Naturalization Service, and is eligible to apply for United States
5 citizenship shall be deemed to satisfy the citizenship requirement of this
6 Subparagraph.
7 * * *
8 (gg) For a student graduating from high school during the 2018-2019 school
9 year and thereafter, a student who is not a citizen of the United States but who is the
10 child of a non-United States citizen who is either serving in any branch of the United
11 States armed forces or has been honorably discharged from any branch of the United
12 States armed forces shall be deemed to satisfy the citizenship requirement of this
13 Item.
14 * * *
15 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
16signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
17by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
18vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
19effective on the day following such approval.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 181 Original 2015 Regular Session Brown
Abstract: Restricts awards under the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) to
U.S. citizens and children of non-U.S. citizens who either are serving in or were
honorably discharged from any branch of the U.S. armed forces.
Present law (R.S. 17:3048.1) establishes TOPS and sets for various criteria for qualifying
for an award under such program. Proposed law retains present law.
Present law generally requires a student receiving TOPS to be a U.S. citizen.
Present law provides exceptions for non-U.S. citizens to be eligible for an award if they meet
either of the following:
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HB NO. 181
(1)If the student is eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship and within 60 days of attaining
majority such student applies for U.S. citizenship and obtains such citizenship within
one year after the date of application.
(2)A student graduating during the 2002-2003 school year or after who is a permanent
resident and is eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship.
Proposed law prohibits students graduating during the 2018-2019 school year and thereafter
from qualifying for present law exceptions to the citizenship requirement. Further provides
a new exception to the present law citizenship requirement for such students: a non-U.S.
citizen may qualify for a TOPS award if the student's parent is either serving in or has been
honorably discharged from any branch of the U.S. armed forces.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:3048.1(A)(1)(a)(iii)(aa) and (ee)(II); Adds R.S. 17:3048.1(A)(1)(a)(iii)
(gg))
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