SLS 16RS-287 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 81
BY SENATOR MORRISH
TOPS. Provides relative to TOPS award amounts. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:5002(A), (B), and (D), relative to the monetary amounts of
3 awards granted pursuant to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students; to provide
4 for maximum award amounts; to provide for future adjustments of maximum award
5 amounts; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 17:5002(A), (B), and (D) are hereby amended and reenacted to read
8 as follows:
9 ยง5002. Awards and amounts
10 A.(1) A student shall be eligible for an Opportunity, Performance, Honors,
11 or TOPS-Tech Award based on his academic achievement.
12 (2) Beginning with the 2016-2017 award year, the award amount as
13 provided for in Subsection B or D of this Section to a student enrolled in any
14 given institution shall be equal to the award amount paid for a student at that
15 institution during the 2016-2017 academic year unless the legislature, by law,
16 increases the award amounts.
17 (3) Beginning with the 2018-2019 award year and every odd-numbered
Page 1 of 5
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 81
SLS 16RS-287 ORIGINAL
1 year thereafter, the legislature may increase the award amount if the
2 administering agency recommends to the legislature that changes be made to
3 align the award amounts granted pursuant to this Chapter with changes in the
4 Consumer Price Index.
5 (3) The maximum award amounts specified in this Subsection shall be
6 exclusive of any additional amounts awarded to students who receive a
7 Performance Award or an Honors Award.
8 B. Any student who is eligible for an Opportunity, Performance, or Honors
9 Award pursuant to this Chapter and who has enrolled:
10 (1) In any public college or university in this state, shall be awarded by the
11 state an amount determined by the administering agency to equal the tuition charged
12 by the public college or university during the 2016-2017 academic year.
13 (2) At any regionally accredited independent college or university in the state
14 which is a member of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and
15 Universities to pursue an academic undergraduate degree, shall be awarded by the
16 state an amount to be determined by the administering agency to equal the weighted
17 average of amounts paid under this Section for students attending public colleges and
18 universities that offer academic undergraduate degrees at the baccalaureate level
19 during the 2016-2017 academic year.
20 (3) In a school that has a valid and current certificate of registration issued
21 by the Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology in accordance with law and that is
22 accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the United States
23 Department of Education or in any proprietary school that has a valid and current
24 license issued by the Board of Regents in accordance with law and that is accredited
25 by an accrediting organization recognized by the United States Department of
26 Education, shall be awarded by the state an amount determined by the administering
27 agency to equal the weighted average of amounts paid under this Section for students
28 attending public colleges and universities during the 2016-2017 academic year and
29 who are enrolled in the permitted skill or occupational training, as may be applicable.
Page 2 of 5
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 81
SLS 16RS-287 ORIGINAL
1 (4) In an out-of-state college or university that is specifically designed to
2 accommodate deaf and hard-of-hearing students under R.S. 17:5027(C), shall be
3 awarded an amount determined by the administering agency to equal the weighted
4 average of amounts paid under this Section for students attending Louisiana public
5 colleges and universities that offer academic undergraduate degrees during the
6 2016-2017 academic year.
7 * * *
8 D.(1) Except as otherwise provided in this Subsection, a student who is
9 eligible for a TOPS-Tech Award pursuant to this Chapter and who is enrolled:
10 (a) In an eligible public college or university that does not offer an academic
11 undergraduate degree at the baccalaureate level in those associate's degree or other
12 shorter-term training and education programs that are aligned to state workforce
13 priorities as determined by the Board of Regents and the Louisiana Workforce
14 Investment Council shall be awarded by the state an amount determined by the
15 administering agency to equal the tuition charged by the college or university during
16 the 2016-2017 academic year. If the Board of Regents and the Louisiana Workforce
17 Investment Council determine that a program is no longer aligned with those
18 priorities, an otherwise eligible student who had previously received an award and
19 enrolled in that program may continue to use the award.
20 (b) In an eligible college or university other than as provided for in
21 Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph in those associate's degree or other shorter-term
22 training education programs that are aligned to state workforce priorities as
23 determined by the Board of Regents and the Louisiana Workforce Investment
24 Council shall be awarded by the state an amount determined by the administering
25 agency to equal the weighted average of amounts paid to students attending an
26 eligible public college or university that does not offer an academic undergraduate
27 degree at the baccalaureate level during the 2016-2017 academic year. If the Board
28 of Regents and the Louisiana Workforce Investment Council determine that a
29 program is no longer aligned with those priorities, an otherwise eligible student who
Page 3 of 5
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 81
SLS 16RS-287 ORIGINAL
1 had previously received an award and enrolled in that program may continue to use
2 the award.
3 (2) A student who graduated prior to the 2016-2017 school year, who is
4 eligible for a TOPS-Tech Award pursuant to this Chapter, and who is enrolled:
5 (a) In an eligible college or university that does not offer an academic
6 undergraduate degree at the baccalaureate level shall be awarded by the state an
7 amount determined by the administering agency to equal the tuition charged by the
8 college or university during the 2016-2017 academic year.
9 (b) In an eligible college or university other than as provided for in
10 Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall be awarded by the state an amount
11 determined by the administering agency to equal the weighted average of amounts
12 paid to students attending an eligible public college or university that does not offer
13 an academic undergraduate degree at the baccalaureate level during the 2016-2017
14 academic year.
15 * * *
16 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
17 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
18 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
19 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
20 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 81 Original 2016 Regular Session Morrish
Present law provides as follows relative to the dollar amount awarded to Taylor Opportunity
Program for Students (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, the amount is an amount determined by the La. Student
Financial Assistance Commission (LASFAC) to equal the tuition charged by the
college or university attended.
(2)For a recipient who attends an eligible state nonpublic college or university, the
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
Page 4 of 5
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 81
SLS 16RS-287 ORIGINAL
academic undergraduate degrees at the baccalaureate level.
(3)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 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.
(4)For a recipient who enrolls in an out-of-state college or university that is specifically
designed to accommodate deaf and hard-of-hearing students, 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.
(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 dollar 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 that are
aligned to state workforce priorities as determined by the Board of Regents and the
Louisiana Workforce Investment Council, the award amount equals the actual cost
of tuition.
(2)For a recipient who attends any other eligible postsecondary education institution in
those associate's degree or other shorter-term training education programs that are
aligned to state workforce priorities as determined by the Board of Regents and the
Louisiana 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 Bd. 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:
(1)Beginning with the 2016-2017 award year, the amount awarded by the state to a
student who is the recipient of any TOPS award shall equal the award amount paid
for the 2016-2017 award year, unless the legislature increases the amounts by law.
(2) Beginning with the 2018-2019 award year and every odd-numbered year thereafter,
the legislature may increase the award amount if the administering agency
recommends to the Legislature that the award amounts increase to align with changes
in the Consumer Price Index.
(3)Retains payment of the supplemental amounts established in present law for a
recipient of a Performance or Honors award.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:5002(A), (B), and (D))
Page 5 of 5
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.