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2016 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 79
BY SENATOR MORRISH
TOPS. Provides relative to TOPS awards amounts. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:5002(A), (B), and (D) and 5024(B)(1)(a), relative to the
3 Taylor Opportunity Program for Students; to provide with respect to the monetary
4 amounts for awards granted pursuant to the program; to provide relative to future
5 increases in award amounts; to provide relative to the minimum ACT score required
6 for eligibility for the Opportunity Award; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:5002(A), (B), and (D) and 5024(B)(1)(a) are hereby amended and
9 reenacted to read as follows:
10 §5002. Awards and amounts
11 A.(1) A student shall be eligible for an Opportunity, Performance, Honors,
12 or TOPS-Tech Award based on his academic achievement.
13 (2) The award amount as provided for in Subsection B or D of this
14 Section to a student enrolled in any given institution shall be equal to the award
15 amount paid for a student at that institution during the 2016-2017 academic
16 year unless the legislature, by law, increases the award amount.
17 B. Any student who is eligible for an Opportunity, Performance, or Honors
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1 Award pursuant to this Chapter and who has enrolled:
2 (1) In any public college or university in this state, shall be awarded by the
3 state an amount determined by the administering agency to equal the tuition charged
4 by the public college or university during the 2016-2017 academic year.
5 (2) At any regionally accredited independent college or university in the state
6 which is a member of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and
7 Universities to pursue an academic undergraduate degree, shall be awarded by the
8 state an amount to be determined by the administering agency to equal the weighted
9 average of amounts paid under this Section for students attending public colleges and
10 universities that offer academic undergraduate degrees at the baccalaureate level
11 during the 2016-2017 academic year.
12 (3) In a school that has a valid and current certificate of registration issued
13 by the Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology in accordance with law and that is
14 accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the United States
15 Department of Education or in any proprietary school that has a valid and current
16 license issued by the Board of Regents in accordance with law and that is accredited
17 by an accrediting organization recognized by the United States Department of
18 Education, shall be awarded by the state an amount determined by the administering
19 agency to equal the weighted average of amounts paid under this Section for students
20 attending public colleges and universities during the 2016-2017 academic year and
21 who are enrolled in the permitted skill or occupational training, as may be applicable.
22 (4) In an out-of-state college or university that is specifically designed to
23 accommodate deaf and hard-of-hearing students under R.S. 17:5027(C), shall be
24 awarded an amount determined by the administering agency to equal the weighted
25 average of amounts paid under this Section for students attending Louisiana public
26 colleges and universities that offer academic undergraduate degrees during the
27 2016-2017 academic year.
28 * * *
29 D.(1) Except as otherwise provided in this Subsection, a student who is
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1 eligible for a TOPS-Tech Award pursuant to this Chapter and who is enrolled:
2 (a) In an eligible public college or university that does not offer an academic
3 undergraduate degree at the baccalaureate level in those associate's degree or other
4 shorter-term training and education programs that are aligned to state workforce
5 priorities as determined by the Board of Regents and the Louisiana Workforce
6 Investment Council shall be awarded by the state an amount determined by the
7 administering agency to equal the tuition charged by the college or university during
8 the 2016-2017 academic year. If the Board of Regents and the Louisiana Workforce
9 Investment Council determine that a program is no longer aligned with those
10 priorities, an otherwise eligible student who had previously received an award and
11 enrolled in that program may continue to use the award.
12 (b) In an eligible college or university other than as provided for in
13 Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph in those associate's degree or other shorter-term
14 training education programs that are aligned to state workforce priorities as
15 determined by the Board of Regents and the Louisiana Workforce Investment
16 Council shall be awarded by the state an amount determined by the administering
17 agency to equal the weighted average of amounts paid to students attending an
18 eligible public college or university that does not offer an academic undergraduate
19 degree at the baccalaureate level during the 2016-2017 academic year. If the Board
20 of Regents and the Louisiana Workforce Investment Council determine that a
21 program is no longer aligned with those priorities, an otherwise eligible student who
22 had previously received an award and enrolled in that program may continue to use
23 the award.
24 (2) A student who graduated prior to the 2016-2017 school year, who is
25 eligible for a TOPS-Tech Award pursuant to this Chapter, and who is enrolled:
26 (a) In an eligible college or university that does not offer an academic
27 undergraduate degree at the baccalaureate level shall be awarded by the state an
28 amount determined by the administering agency to equal the tuition charged by the
29 college or university during the 2016-2017 academic year.
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1 (b) In an eligible college or university other than as provided for in
2 Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall be awarded by the state an amount
3 determined by the administering agency to equal the weighted average of amounts
4 paid to students attending an eligible public college or university that does not offer
5 an academic undergraduate degree at the baccalaureate level during the 2016-2017
6 academic year.
7 * * *
8 §5024. Academic requirements
9 * * *
10 B.(1) Except as otherwise provided by this Subsection, a student shall earn
11 the following minimum test scores for the respective awards:
12 (a) For an Opportunity Award, a composite score on the 1990 version of the
13 ACT which is at least equal to or higher than the state's average composite score,
14 rounded to the nearest truncated to a whole number, reported for the prior year but
15 never less than twenty or an equivalent concordant value on an enhanced or revised
16 version of such test or on the SAT.
17 * * *
18 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
19 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
20 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
21 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
22 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Cheryl Serrett.
DIGEST
SB 79 Engrossed 2016 Regular Session Morrish
Present law provides as follows relative to the amount awarded to TOPS recipients of
Opportunity, Performance, or Honors awards:
(1)For a recipient who attends a La. public college or university to pursue an academic
undergraduate degree or skill or occupational training, the award amount is an
amount determined by the La. Student Financial Assistance Commission (LASFAC)
to equal the tuition charged by the college or university attended.
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(2)For a recipient who attends an eligible state nonpublic college or university, the
award amount is an amount determined by LASFAC to equal the weighted average
amount of amounts paid for students attending public colleges and universities that
offer academic undergraduate degrees at the baccalaureate level.
(3)For a recipient who is eligible to use the award at an out-of-state nonpublic college
or university specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard-of-hearing
students to pursue an academic undergraduate degree, the award amount is an
amount determined by LASFAC to equal the weighted average of amounts paid for
students attending La. public colleges and universities that offer academic
undergraduate degrees.
(4)For a recipient who enrolls in a cosmetology school registered by the La. State Board
of Cosmetology or a proprietary school licensed by the Board of Regents, the award
amount is equal to the amount determined by LASFAC to equal the weighted
average of amounts for students attending public colleges and universities who are
enrolled in the permitted skill or occupational training.
(5)Provides an additional $200 per semester, or $400 per academic year, to a recipient
of a Performance Award, and provides an additional $400 per semester, or $800 per
academic year, to a recipient of an Honors Award.
Relative to the amount of a TOPS-Tech Award, present law provides as follows:
(1)For a recipient who attends an eligible La. public college or university that does not
offer an academic undergraduate degree at the baccalaureate level in those associate's
degree or other shorter-term training and education programs aligned to state
workforce priorities as determined by the Board of Regents and the La. Workforce
Investment Council, the award amount equals the actual cost of tuition.
(2)For a recipient who attends any other eligible postsecondary education institution
that offers an associate's degree or other shorter-term training and education
programs aligned to state workforce priorities as determined by the Board of Regents
and the La. Workforce Investment Council, the award amount equals the amount
determined by LASFAC to equal the weighted average of amounts paid for students
attending public institutions that do not offer a baccalaureate degree.
Present law provides that for students who graduated prior to the 2016-2017 school year,
eligibility for a TOPS-Tech award is not contingent upon a determination by the Board of
Regents and the La. Workforce Investment Council that the students course of study is
aligned with state workforce priorities. Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law provides that the amount awarded by the state to a student who is the recipient
of any TOPS award shall be equal to the award amount established for each respective award
at the postsecondary institution in which the student is enrolled for the 2016-2017 award
year, unless the legislature, by law, increases the award amount.
Proposed law retains payment of the supplemental amounts established in present law for
a recipient of a Performance or Honors award.
Present law provides with respect to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS)
that a recipient, among other eligibility criteria, must have a composite ACT score equal to
or higher than the state average composite score, rounded to the nearest whole number,
reported for the previous year, but never less than 20 or an equivalent value on the SAT in
order to receive a TOPS Opportunity award.
Proposed law retains the requirement that a student have a minimum ACT score equal to or
greater than the state average, truncated to a whole number, but never less than 20.
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Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:5002(A), (B), and (D) and 5024(B)(1)(a))
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