Amendment vs bill House Floor Amendment, #6248, Murray, Adopted vs HCR119 Original

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HLS 26RS-3967 ORIGINAL Regular Session HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO.
HFAHCR119 224 6248 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS Regular Session AmendmentsproposedbyRepresentativeMurraytoOriginalHouseConcurrentResolution No.
119 BY REPRESENTATIVE MURRAY HIGHER EDUCATION:
119 by Representative Murray AMENDMENT NO.
Establishes the Louisiana College without Debt Commission A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION To establish and provide for the Louisiana College without Debt Commission to conduct a comprehensive study and make recommendations for the development and implementation of a statewide affordability framework for public postsecondary education.
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WHEREAS, Louisiana continues to face persistent challenges in workforce development,population retention,andeconomiccompetitiveness,allofwhicharedirectly linked to access to affordable postsecondaryeducation;
"To direct the Board of Regents to study need-based financial aid programs and policies in Louisiana and to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the House CommitteeonEducation,theSenateCommitteeonEducation,theHouseCommittee onAppropriations,andtheSenateCommitteeonFinancenotlaterthanFebruary15, 2027.
and WHEREAS,risingtuitioncosts,combinedwithinsufficientneed-basedfinancialaid, limit enrollment and completion, particularly among students from low- and moderate-income households;
WHEREAS, need-based financial aid plays a critical role in increasing college access, retention, completion, and workforce participation among low-income student populations in both rural and urban communities;
and WHEREAS, the state's long-term economic growth depends on increasing educational attainment, aligning workforce training with high-demand industries, and ensuring that residents can access and complete postsecondary education without an unsustainable financial burden;
and WHEREAS, recent discussions regarding financial aid affordability, student debt burdens,workforcealignment,andlong-termsustainabilityofstatefinancialaidinvestments have highlighted the importance of reviewing the effectiveness and structure of current need-based aid programs;
and WHEREAS, national and state research demonstrates that tuition-free or debt-reducedhighereducationmodelscanimproveenrollment,completionrates,workforce participation, and lifetime earnings when paired with adequate student supports;
and WHEREAS,thelegislaturerecognizestheimportanceofensuringthatstudentswith demonstrated financial need have access to affordable pathways leading to high-demand careers and economic mobility;
and WHEREAS,theexpansionofneed-basedaidprograms,includingtheLouisianaGO Grant Program, and the provision of completion supports such as housing, transportation, childcare, and food access are critical to student success;
and WHEREAS,thelegislaturehasaninterestinevaluatingexistingneed-basedfinancial aid programs, such as the Louisiana GO Grant Program, and effectivelysupporting student success, workforce participation, and efficient use of state resources;
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and WHEREAS, reviewof available state and federalfinancialaidresources,including Pell Grant utilization and state-supported aid programs, is necessary to determine whether current aid structures effectively address unmet student financial need while promoting responsible and efficient use of public funds;
119 WHEREAS,acomprehensive,data-driven,andfiscallyresponsibleplanisnecessary toevaluatethefeasibility,cost,structure,andimplementationtimelinefora"collegewithout debt" framework in Louisiana;
and WHEREAS, the legislature desires additional information and recommendations regarding the adequacy, effectiveness, accessibility, coordination, and long-term sustainability of need-based aid programs in Louisiana.
and WHEREAS, it is appropriate to have a structured study process in order to responsibly advance the objective of helping students to attend college without debt by developingactionablepolicyrecommendations,fundingstrategies,andlegislativepathways.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Legislature of Louisiana does herebydirect the Board of Regents to conduct a comprehensive study regarding need-based financial aid in Louisiana.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby establish and provide for the Louisiana College without Debt Commission to conduct a comprehensivestudyand make recommendationsfor the developmentandimplementation of a statewide affordabilityframework for public postsecondaryeducation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study shall include, at a minimum, the following:
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission shall consist of the following members:
(1) An inventory and overview of all state-supported need-based financial aid programs currently administered in Louisiana.
(1) ThememberoftheHouseofRepresentativesrepresentingDistrict97,whoshall serve as chairman of the commission.
(2)Ananalysisofstudenteligibilityrequirements,awardstructures,utilizationrates, and unmet financial need among Louisiana students.
(2) ThechairmanoftheHouseCommittee ofEducationorthechairman's designee, who shall serve as vice chairman of the commission.
(3) A review of student population, geographic, and demographic trends related to recipients of need-based aid.
(3) ThechairmanoftheSenateCommitteeonEducationorthechairman'sdesignee.
(4) An examination of barriers that may limit student awareness of, access to, or successful utilization of need-based financial aid opportunities.
(4) One member of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the House.
(5) A review of how current need-based aid policies align with statewide postsecondary attainment and workforce development goals.
(5) Two members of the Senate appointed bythe president of the Senate.
(6) A comparative review of need-based financial aid models and best practices utilized in other states.
(6) The chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations or the chairman's designee.
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(7) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations or the chairman's designee.
Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.
(8) The commissioner of higher education or the commissioner's designee.
HFAHCR119 224 6248 (7) Recommendations for potential statutory, policy, administrative, or funding changes to improve affordability, accessibility, efficiency, and student outcomes.
(9) The president of the Louisiana State University System or the president's designee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Regents shall submit a written report of its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education, the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Finance not later than February 15, 2027." Page 2 of 2 CODING:
(10) ThepresidentoftheUniversityofLouisianaSystemorthepresident'sdesignee.
Wordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored are additions.
(11) The president of the Southern UniversitySystem or the president's designee.
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119 (12) The president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System or the president's designee.
(13) The secretaryof Louisiana Works or the secretary's designee.
(14) One representative of the Department of Children and Family Services appointed by the secretaryof the department.
(15) One representative of the Department of Transportation and Development appointed by the secretaryof the department.
(16) One representative of the Department of Revenue appointed by the secretary of the department.
(17) One representative of the Louisiana Housing Corporation appointed by the executive director of the corporation.
(18) One representative of the division of administration appointed by the commissioner of administration.
(19) Two student government association presidents from the Louisiana State University System appointed by the president of the system.
(20) Two student government association presidents from the Southern University System appointed by the president of the system.
(21) Two student government association presidents from the University of Louisiana System appointed by the president of the system.
(22) TwostudentgovernmentassociationpresidentsfromtheLouisianaCommunity and Technical College System appointed by the president of the system.
(23) Two representatives of the Urban League of Louisiana appointed by the president and chief executive officer of the organization.
(24) One representative of Invest in Louisiana appointed by the executive director of the organization.
(25) One representative of the Louisiana Chapter of the AFL-CIO appointed bythe president of the chapter.
BEITFURTHER RESOLVEDthatthecommission shall submit awrittenreportof findings and conclusions by January 29, 2027, that includes an implementation plan and anticipated costs, policy recommendations, funding options, and recommendations, if any, Page 3 of 5 HLS 26RS-3967 ORIGINAL HCR NO.
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119 for related legislation to the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study shall include, at a minimum, an analysis of the following:
(1) The feasibility and impact of achieving tuition-free access across each type of public postsecondary education institution, including a comparative analysis of tiered program structures versus pilot-to-scale models that considers administrative complexity, equity outcomes, cost efficiency, and scalability.
(2) An analysis of the expansion and optimization of the GO Grant program and other need-based aid programs and strategies to reduce or eliminate student debt burdens.
(3) The cost and impact of student support services related to housing, transportation, child care, food security, and other basic needs.
(4) Comprehensive cost projections under multiple program design scenarios and the identification of sustainable funding mechanisms, including legislative appropriations, public-privatepartnerships,andfederalfundingopportunities,aswellasperformance-based or phased implementation models.
(5) The alignmentofaffordabilitystrategieswith high-demand,high-wageindustry sectors and projected impacts on workforce participation, talent retention, population stabilization, and statewide economic growth.
(6) An implementation strategy, including recommended eligibility criteria and prioritization frameworks,phased implementation timelines, and anyrecommendations for related legislation.
BEITFURTHERRESOLVEDthattheBoardofRegentsshallprovidestaffsupport to the commission, that each appointing and designating authorityshall submit the name of his appointee or designeeto thecommissioner ofhighereducation not later than August 28, 2026, and that the commission shall convene for its first meeting not later than September 25, 2026, at the call of the chairman.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission may seek input from the legislative fiscal office in conducting its study.
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119 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a majority of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and all official actions of the commission shall require the affirmative vote of a majorityof the members.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the commission shall serve without compensation, except per diem or expense reimbursement to which they may be individually entitled as members of their constituent organizations.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission shall terminate on the date of its report submission.
DIGEST ThedigestprintedbelowwaspreparedbyHouseLegislative Services.
Itconstitutes nopart 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)] HCR 119 Original 2026 Regular Session Murray EstablishestheLa.CollegewithoutDebtCommissiontoconductacomprehensivestudyand makerecommendationsforthedevelopmentandimplementationofastatewideaffordability frameworkfor public postsecondaryeducation.
Providesfor submission of a written report not later than Jan.
27, 2027, to the House and Senate committees on education that includes animplementationplanandanticipatedcosts,policyrecommendations,fundingoptions,and recommendations, if any, for related legislation.
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