HLS 20RS-1216 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 779
BY REPRESENTATIVE HORTON
STUDENT/LOANS-SCHOLARSHP: Creates and provides for the Northwest Louisiana
Promise Program, a scholarship program for students at Bossier Parish Community
College
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 17:1877, relative to college scholarships; to create and provide for the
3 Northwest Louisiana Promise Program; to provide that the purpose of the program
4 is to provide financial assistance for students enrolled at Bossier Parish Community
5 College; to provide for program administration by the Board of Supervisors of
6 Community and Technical Colleges; to provide criteria for initial and continuing
7 eligibility for program awards; to provide relative to funding; to require the board of
8 supervisors to adopt policies for program implementation; and to provide for related
9 matters.
10Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
11 Section 1. R.S. 17:1877 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
12 ยง1877. Northwest Louisiana Promise Program
13 A. There is hereby established the Northwest Louisiana Promise Program,
14 referred to in this Section as the "program", the purpose of which is to provide
15 financial assistance to students enrolled at Bossier Parish Community College,
16 referred to in this Section as the "college". The program shall be administered by the
17 Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical Colleges, referred to in this
18 Section as the "board".
19 B.(1) To be eligible for an initial program award, a student shall:
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HB NO. 779
1 (a) Be at least twenty-five years old.
2 (b) Have earned a high school diploma or high school equivalency.
3 (c) Be a resident of Bossier Parish, Caddo Parish, or Webster Parish.
4 (d) Be enrolled at the college in an eligible career and technical certificate
5 program as determined by the board, which shall base such determinations on which
6 programs are aligned with state workforce priorities in the Northwest Louisiana
7 regional market area as determined by the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
8 (2) To maintain eligibility for a continued program award, a student shall
9 have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 calculated on a 4.00 scale and
10 maintain continuous enrollment as defined by the board in an eligible program.
11 C.(1) Program award payments made by the board to the college on behalf
12 of a qualifying student shall be limited to four semesters.
13 (2) The board may seek, accept, and expend funds from any source,
14 including private business, industry, foundations, and other groups as well as any
15 federal or other governmental funding available for the purpose of the program.
16 (3) Implementation of the program shall be subject to the availability of
17 funds for this purpose.
18 D. The board shall adopt policies for the implementation of this Section.
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 779 Original 2020 Regular Session Horton
Abstract: Creates the Northwest La. Promise Program, a scholarship program for students
at Bossier Parish Community College.
Northwest Louisiana Promise Program, generally
Proposed law creates the Northwest La. Promise Program for the purpose of providing
financial assistance to students enrolled at Bossier Parish Community College (college).
Provides for program administration by the Bd. of Supervisors of Community and Technical
Colleges (board).
Eligibility
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HB NO. 779
Proposed law provides that to be eligible for an initial program award, a student shall:
(1)Be at least 25 years old.
(2)Have earned a high school diploma or high school equivalency.
(3)Be a resident of Bossier Parish, Caddo Parish, or Webster Parish.
(4)Be enrolled at the college in an eligible career and technical certificate program as
determined by the board, which shall base such determinations on which programs
are aligned with state workforce priorities in the northwest La. regional market area
as determined by the La. Workforce Commission.
Proposed law provides that to maintain eligibility for program awards, a student shall have
a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 and maintain continuous enrollment in an eligible
program.
Award payment and funding
Proposed law provides:
(1)Award payments shall be made to the college on behalf of a qualifying student for
a maximum of four semesters.
(2)The board may seek, accept, and expend funds from any source that are available for
this purpose.
(3)Program implementation is subject to the availability of funds.
(4)The board shall adopt policies for proposed law implementation.
(Adds R.S. 17:1877)
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.