2018 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 452
BY SENATORS MORRISH, APPEL, BOUDREAUX, MIZELL AND WALSWORTH
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:183.3(B)(2)(c), 5025(3)(c), the introductory paragraph of
3 5026(A) and (A)(3)(b), 5061, the introductory paragraph of 5062(C) and (C)(1), R.S.
4 39:98.3(D), and R.S. 47:1508(B)(17) and to enact R.S. 17:5062(C)(5), relative to the
5 Taylor Opportunity Program for Students; to provide relative to eligibility
6 requirements; to provide relative to Board of Regents' reporting requirements; to
7 provide relative to sharing of certain taxpayer data with the administering agency;
8 to provide for technical changes; and to provide for related matters.
9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 17:183.3(B)(2)(c), 5025(3)(c), the introductory paragraph of 5026(A)
11 and (A)(3)(b), 5061, the introductory paragraph of 5062(C) and (C)(1) are hereby amended
12 and reenacted and R.S. 17:5062(C)(5) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
13 §183.3. Career major; description; curriculum and graduation requirements
14 * * *
15 B.(1) * * *
16 (2) The course requirements for the career major shall consist of the
17 following:
18 * * *
19 (c) At least two science credits, including one credit of Biology and one
20 additional course from among the following: Chemistry I, Earth Science,
21 Environmental Science, Physical Science, Agriscience I and Agriscience II (one
22 credit combined), Physics, or AP or IB Science courses.
23 * * *
24 §5025. High school core curriculum requirements; Opportunity, Performance,
25 Honors Awards
26 To be eligible for an Opportunity, Performance, or Honors Award pursuant
27 to this Chapter, a student who graduates during or after the 2017-2018 school year
ACT No. 671
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1 shall have successfully completed a core curriculum which consists of nineteen units
2 of high school course work as follows:
3 * * *
4 (3) Science - Four Units
5 * * *
6 (c) Two units chosen from the following: Earth Science; Environmental
7 Science; Physical Science; Agriscience I and Agriscience II (one unit combined);
8 Chemistry II, AP Chemistry, or IB Chemistry II; AP Environmental Science, or IB
9 Environmental Systems; Physics I, AP Physics I, AP Physics B, or IB Physics I; AP
10 Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, AP Physics C: Mechanics, or IB Physics II;
11 AP Physics I and, or AP Physics II; Biology II, AP Biology, or IB Biology II.
12 * * *
13 §5026. High school core curriculum requirements; TOPS-Tech
14 A. Except as otherwise provided by this Section, to To be eligible for a
15 TOPS-Tech Award pursuant to this Chapter, the student shall have successfully
16 completed the core curriculum requirements of R.S. 17:5025 or 5025.3 or the core
17 curriculum defined as follows:
18 * * *
19 (3) Science - Two Units
20 * * *
21 (b) One unit from the following: Chemistry I, Earth Science, Environmental
22 Science, Agriscience I and Agriscience II (both for one unit), Physical Science,
23 Physics, or AP or IB science courses.
24 * * *
25 §5061. Administering agency
26 The provisions of this Chapter shall be administered by the Board of Regents.
27 The administering agency may shall provide by rule adopted as provided by the
28 Administrative Procedure Act for all matters necessary to the implementation of this
29 Chapter.
30 §5062. Rules, procedures, and guidelines
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1 * * *
2 C. The administering agency shall provide the following guidelines:
3 (1) Guidelines and procedures by which the administering agency, subject to
4 prior approval by in consultation with the State Board of Elementary and Secondary
5 Education, may update the course name and establish course equivalencies for any
6 course included in the definition of core curriculum provided by this Chapter,
7 including necessary changes to course names and equivalencies for Advanced
8 Placement and International Baccalaureate courses as prescribed by the College
9 Board or the International Baccalaureate Foundation. The guidelines and procedures
10 shall include but not be limited to a requirement that any change in a course name
11 and the establishment of any course equivalency be done by rule adopted by the
12 administering agency and a requirement that prior to issuing a notice of intent to
13 consider any such rule the administering agency shall consult with and seek the
14 written comments and recommendations of the Board of Regents on making the
15 name change or establishing the course equivalency.
16 * * *
17 (5)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, guidelines and
18 procedures by which the administering agency may receive and consider an
19 applicant's qualifying score on the ACT or SAT which is first obtained on an
20 authorized testing date after the national April testing date in the year of the
21 applicant's high school graduation provided that:
22 (i) The administering agency determines that the applicant was
23 prevented from taking the test on or prior to the national April testing date of
24 the year of the applicant's graduation due to circumstances beyond the
25 immediate control of the student which were attributable to the administration
26 of the test.
27 (ii) The applicant's qualifying score is obtained on an authorized testing
28 date prior to August first of the year of the applicant's graduation.
29 (b) When granting an award to an applicant whose qualifying test score
30 is considered by the agency pursuant to the provisions of this Paragraph, the
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1 agency shall not reduce the time period of eligibility for the award as set forth
2 in R.S. 17:5002.
3 Section 2. R.S. 39:98.3(D) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
4 §98.3. Appropriations from the Health Excellence Fund, the Education Excellence
5 Fund, and the TOPS Fund
6 * * *
7 D. Appropriations from the TOPS Fund shall be restricted to support of the
8 state's program for financial assistance for students attending Louisiana institutions
9 of postsecondary education as established in Chapter 20-G50 of Title 17 of the
10 Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950.
11 * * *
12 Section 3. R.S. 47:1508(B)(17) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
13 §1508. Confidentiality of tax records
14 * * *
15 B. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent:
16 * * *
17 (17) The furnishing of a taxpayer's reported federal adjusted gross income as
18 requested by the office of student financial assistance when based on certification by
19 the office that the confidentiality of such information will be respected and that it
20 holds an agreement signed by the taxpayer authorizing the release of this information
21 for the purpose of considering the eligibility of the taxpayer's beneficiary for a tuition
22 assistance grant under the Louisiana Student Tuition Assistance and Revenue Trust
23 Program as provided for by Chapter 22-A of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised
24 Statutes of 1950 or, for the purpose of considering the eligibility of the taxpayer's
25 dependent child for an award under the Louisiana Taylor Opportunity Program for
26 Students as provided for by Chapter 20-G 50 of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised
27 Statutes of 1950, or for the purpose of determining employment and residency
28 status of past recipients of the Louisiana Taylor Opportunity Program for
29 Students awards.
30 * * *
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1 Section 4. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
2 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
3 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
4 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
5 effective on the day following such approval.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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