SLS 16RS-299 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 89
BY SENATOR MORRISH
TOPS. Provides relative to TOPS eligibility requirements. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:5024(B)(1)(a), to enact R.S. 17:5024.1, and to repeal R.S.
3 17:5024(A)(2) and (3)(b), (B)(2), and (C), relative to the Taylor Opportunity
4 Program for Students; to provide relative to eligibility requirements for program
5 awards; to provide for recodification of certain provisions of present law; and to
6 provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:5024(B)(1)(a) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
9 17:5024.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §5024. Academic requirements
11 * * *
12 B.(1) Except as otherwise provided by this Subsection, a A student shall earn
13 the following minimum test scores for the respective awards:
14 (a) For an Opportunity Award, a composite score on the 1990 version of the
15 ACT which is at least equal to or higher than the state's average composite score,
16 rounded truncated to the nearest whole number, reported for the prior year but never
17 less than twenty twenty-one or an equivalent concordant value on an enhanced or
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1 revised version of such test or on the SAT.
2 * * *
3 §5024.1. Academic requirements; exceptions
4 A. Notwithstanding R.S. 17:5024(A):
5 (1) For a student who graduated prior to the 2002-2003 school year, the
6 minimum cumulative grade point average shall be calculated by using the
7 grades obtained by the student in completing all classes taken.
8 (2) For a student who graduated prior to the 2007-2008 school year, the
9 minimum cumulative high school grade point average necessary for such
10 students to be eligible for an initial Performance Award or Honors Award shall
11 be 3.50 on a 4.00 scale.
12 (3) The provisions of R.S. 17:5024(A)(3)(a) do not apply to a student who
13 graduated prior to the 2017-2018 school year.
14 B. Notwithstanding R.S. 17:5024(B):
15 (1) A student graduating from high school prior to the 2019-2020 school
16 year shall have a composite score on the 1990 version of the ACT which is at
17 least equal to or higher than the state's average composite score, rounded to the
18 nearest whole number, reported for the prior year but never less than twenty
19 or an equivalent concordant value on an enhanced or revised version of such
20 test or on the SAT.
21 (2) For a student who graduated prior to the 2010-2011 school year, the
22 ACT WorkKeys system is not an alternative assessment for establishing
23 eligibility for a TOPS-Tech Award.
24 (3) For a student who graduated prior to the 2000-2001 school year, the
25 minimum ACT score for a TOPS-Tech Award is nineteen.
26 C. Notwithstanding R.S. 17:5024(A) and (B), a student who graduated
27 after the 2002-2003 school year but prior to the 2006-2007 school year is eligible
28 to receive a Performance Award pursuant to this Chapter if he meets the other
29 requirements of this Chapter and each of the following conditions is met:
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1 (1) The student achieved a minimum cumulative high school grade point
2 average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale when calculated in accordance with applicable
3 rules adopted by the administering agency and such calculation is based on ten
4 or more of the grades being grades for completion of honors curriculum
5 courses, gifted curriculum courses, or advanced placement courses, or any
6 combination of such courses, and the high school awards grades for such
7 courses on a 4.00 scale or higher.
8 (2) The student has a composite score on the 1990 version of the ACT of
9 twenty-four or higher or an equivalent concordant value on any enhanced or
10 revised version of such test or on the SAT.
11 Section 2. R.S. 17:5024(A)(2) and (3)(b), (B)(2), and (C) are hereby repealed.
12 Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
13 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
14 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
15 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
16 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 89 Original 2016 Regular Session Morrish
Present law provides relative to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) as a
program of merit scholarships for students attending certain postsecondary education
institutions and who meet specific grade point average (GPA), ACT score, and core
curriculum requirements and certain other qualifications.
Present law provides that the state's average composite ACT score be rounded to the nearest
whole number.
Proposed law provides instead that the state's average composite ACT score be truncated to
the nearest whole number.
Proposed law increases the minium ACT test score required for initial eligibility for an
Opportunity Award for students graduating from high school during or after the 2019-2020
school year from a 20 to a 21.
Present law provides for exceptions to the eligibility requirements. Proposed law retains
these exceptions, but recodifies them into a new provision of law.
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Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:5024(B)(1)(a); adds R.S. 17:5024.1; repeals R.S. 17:5024(A)(2) and (3)(b),
(B)(2), and (C))
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.