HLS 20RS-207 ENGROSSED
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 37
BY REPRESENTATIVES MCMAHEN, AMEDEE, BRASS, EDMONDS, FREEMAN,
FREIBERG, JEFFERSON, CHARLES OWEN, AND THOMAS
TOPS: Provides that the annual amount of a Taylor Opportunity Program for Students
(TOPS) award at Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College shall match
the annual award amount at other technical community colleges
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3233(Section heading) and to enact R.S. 17:3233(E), relative
3 to Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College; to provide for the Taylor
4 Opportunity Program for Students award amount for students enrolled in the college;
5 to provide that the award amount shall be equal to the award amount at other
6 technical community colleges; to provide for applicability; and to provide for related
7 matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 17:3233(Section heading) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
1017:3233(E) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 ยง3233. Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College; mission, management,
12 and operation; Taylor Opportunity Program for Students award amounts
13 * * *
14 E. Any student who is eligible for a Taylor Opportunity Program for
15 Students award pursuant to Chapter 50 of this Title and attends Northwest Louisiana
16 Technical Community College shall be awarded by the state an amount determined
17 by the administering agency to equal the award amount for technical community
18 colleges pursuant to R.S. 17:5002.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 20RS-207 ENGROSSED
HB NO. 37
1 Section 2. The provisions of this Act shall be applicable to Taylor Opportunity
2Program for Students awards granted during the 2020-2021 academic year and thereafter.
3 Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
4signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
5by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
6vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
7effective 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 37 Engrossed 2020 Regular Session McMahen
Abstract: Provides that the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) award amount
at Northwest La. Technical Community College shall be the same as the award
amount at other technical community colleges.
Present law provides for the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS), a program
of merit scholarships awarded to students attending certain postsecondary education
institutions who meet certain academic and other qualifications. Present law fixes the award
amount for a given institution at the amount of the tuition charged by that institution during
the 2016-17 academic year; therefore, the award amount at Northwest La. Technical
Community College, which was converted from a technical college to a technical
community college pursuant to Act No. 287 of the 2019 R.S., remains fixed at the lower
tuition amount it charged during that academic year.
Proposed law provides that the TOPS award amount for students at Northwest La. Technical
Community College shall be equal to the award amount for technical community colleges
pursuant to present law; in other words, proposed law increases this particular college's
award amount to match the amount set for its current peer institutions based on the tuition
amount they charged in 2016-17.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:3233(Section heading); Adds R.S. 17:3233(E))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.