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 558 Original 2025 Regular Session Davis
Abstract: Authorizes people who were convicted of certain crimes to be initially eligible for the
M.J. Foster Promise Program.
Present law provides for the M.J. Foster Promise Program, a financial assistance program for
students attending a two-year public postsecondary education institution or proprietary school who
are enrolled in certain qualified programs.
Present law provides for specific initial eligibility requirements, including not having a conviction
for any crime of violence listed in present law (R.S. 17:14:2(B)).
Proposed law retains present law relative to having a conviction for the following crimes making a
person ineligible for the program:
(1)Solicitation for murder.
(2)First degree murder.
(3)Second degree murder.
(4)Manslaughter.
(5)Aggravated assault.
(6)Aggravated kidnapping of a child.
(7)Aggravated or first degree rape.
(8)Forcible or second degree rape.
(9)Simple or third degree rape.
(10)Sexual battery.
(11)Second degree sexual battery.
(12)Intentional exposure to AIDS virus. (13)Aggravated kidnapping.
(14)Second degree kidnapping.
(15)Simple kidnapping.
(16)Aggravated burglary.
(17)Armed robbery.
(18)First degree robbery.
(19)Assault by drive-by shooting.
(20)Aggravated crime against nature.
(21)Carjacking.
(22)Molestation of a juvenile or a person with a physical or mental disability.
(23)Terrorism.
(24)Aggravated second degree battery.
(25)Aggravated assault upon a peace officer.
(26)Aggravated assault with a firearm.
(27)Armed robbery; use of firearm; additional penalty.
(28)Stalking.
(29)Second degree cruelty to juveniles.
(30)Sexual battery of persons with infirmities.
(31)Battery of a police officer.
(32)Trafficking of children for sexual purposes.
(33)Human trafficking.
(34)Domestic abuse aggravated assault.
(35)Vehicular homicide, when the operator's blood alcohol concentration exceeds 0.20 percent by weight based on grams of alcohol per one hundred cubic centimeters of blood.
(36)Aggravated assault upon a dating partner.
(37)Domestic abuse battery punishable under present law (R.S. 14:35.3(L), (M)(2), (N), (O), or
(P)).
(38)Battery of a dating partner punishable under present law (R.S. 14:34.9(L), (M)(2), (N), (O),
or (P)).
(39)Violation of a protective order punishable under present law (R.S. 14:79(C)).
(40)Criminal abortion.
(41)First degree feticide.
(42)Second degree feticide.
(43)Third degree feticide.
(44)Aggravated abortion by dismemberment.
(45)Battery of emergency room personnel, emergency services personnel, or a healthcare
professional.
(46)Possession of a firearm or carrying of a concealed weapon by a person convicted of certain
felonies in violation of present law (R.S. 14:95.1(D)).
(47)Distribution of fentanyl or carfentanil punishable under present law (R.S. 40:967(B)(4)(f)).
(48)Distribution of heroin punishable under present law (R.S. 40:966(B)(3)(b)).
(49)Simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling when a person is present in the dwelling, house,
apartment, or other structure.
(50)Illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities.
(51)First degree vehicular negligent injuring, when the operator's blood alcohol concentration
exceeds 0.20 percent by weight based on grams of alcohol per one hundred cubic centimeters
of blood.
Proposed law authorizes a person to be eligible who has had a conviction for certain crimes.
Exception applies to the following crimes listed in present law (R.S. 13:5401(B)(1)(f)):
(1)Aggravated battery. (2)Second degree battery.
(3)Disarming of a peace officer.
(4)Aggravated assault.
(5)False imprisonment; offender armed with dangerous weapon.
(6)Aggravated arson.
(7)Aggravated criminal damage to property.
(8)Home invasion.
(9)Second degree robbery.
(10)Simple robbery.
(11)Purse snatching.
(12)Aggravated flight from an officer.
(Amends R.S. 17:3047.2(A)(8)(b))