ENROLLED
ACT No. 279
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 485
BY REPRESENTATIVES BRASS, ADAMS, AMEDEE, BAGLEY, BEAULLIEU, BOYD,
BROWN, CARRIER, CORMIER, COX, ECHOLS, EMERSON, FISHER,
FREEMAN, FREIBERG, GAROFALO, GEYMANN, HARRIS, HORTON,
HUGHES, JEFFERSON, JENKINS, MIKE JOHNSON, KNOX, LAFLEUR,
LYONS, DUSTIN MILLER, GREGORY MILLER, MOORE, CHARLES OWEN,
PHELPS, PIERRE, SCHAMERHORN, SCHEXNAYDER, SELDERS, STAGNI,
THOMPSON, AND WILLARD AND SENATORS ABRAHAM, FIELDS,
JACKSON, ROBERT MILLS, MIZELL, AND TALBOT
1 AN ACT
2 To enact Chapter 46 of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be comprised
3 of R.S. 17:4101 through 4103, relative to scholarships; to create a scholarship
4 program for members of the Louisiana National Guard; to provide for program
5 administration by the Board of Regents; to provide for eligibility and award amounts;
6 to provide for rules; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. The legislature finds that is necessary to properly recruit and compensate
9 members and prospective members of the Louisiana National Guard for the important role
10 they play in the safety and security of the state and nation. The state of Louisiana has
11 increasingly called upon members of the Louisiana National Guard to help protect citizens
12 during numerous all-hazards emergency operations. At all times, the members of the
13 Louisiana National Guard have answered the state's call, selflessly walking into harm's way
14 to save lives, protect property, and ease the suffering of our citizens. The purpose of the
15 Louisiana National Guard Patriot Scholarship Program is to recognize the tremendous
16 impact that the individual members of the Louisiana National Guard have on the security and
17 safety of the state of Louisiana and the nation.
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1 Section 2. Chapter 46 of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950,
2 comprised of R.S. 17:4101 through 4103, is hereby enacted to read as follows:
3 CHAPTER 46. LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD
4 PATRIOT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
5 §4101. Louisiana National Guard Patriot Scholarship Program; creation; eligibility
6 A. The Louisiana National Guard Patriot Scholarship Program is hereby
7 created for the purpose of covering the cost of mandatory fees at public
8 postsecondary education institutions.
9 B. In order to qualify for the scholarship, a student shall be a member in
10 good standing with the Louisiana National Guard, enrolled in a Louisiana public
11 postsecondary education institution, and eligible for the tuition exemption provided
12 for in R.S. 29:36.1.
13 C. The scholarship shall be available for an eligible student for up to four
14 academic years or until the receipt of a degree at the baccalaureate level, whichever
15 occurs first. However, any student receiving a scholarship under the provisions of
16 this Chapter who is mobilized or called to active duty is entitled to an extension of
17 the time the scholarship may be claimed equal to the amount of academic time
18 impacted by the time served on active duty.
19 §4102. Administration; scholarship amount; funding
20 A. The administering agency for the scholarship program shall be the Board
21 of Regents. The Louisiana National Guard shall assist the Board of Regents in the
22 administration of the program.
23 B.(1) Upon notice from the public postsecondary education institution and
24 the Louisiana National Guard that the student qualifies for the scholarship for the
25 ensuing academic period, the administering agency shall make payment of the
26 scholarship funds, on behalf of the student, directly to the institution at which such
27 mandatory fees are due. The amount of the scholarship for each eligible student
28 shall be equal to the amount of mandatory fees charged to the student by the
29 institution.
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1 (2) The payment of scholarships as provided in this Subsection shall be
2 subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose.
3 §4103. Rules
4 The administering agency shall adopt rules in accordance with the
5 Administrative Procedure Act for the implementation of the provisions of this
6 Chapter. When developing the rules, the administering agency shall consult with the
7 Louisiana National Guard.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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