HB 325 — TOPS: Provides relative to TOPS-Tech (EN INCREASE GF EX See Note)

HLSENROLLED 26RS-995 REENGROSSED Regular Session HOUSE BILL NO.

325 BY REPRESENTATIVES BRASS, ADAMS, BERAULT, BILLINGS, BROUSSARD, CARLSON, WILFORD CARTER, CARVER, CHASSION, EDMONSTON, FISHER, FREEMAN,FREIBERG,GLORIOSO,GREEN,DANAHENRY,ILLG, JACKSON, TRAVIS JOHNSON, JORDAN, KNOX, LACOMBE, LAFLEUR, TERRY LANDRY, LYONS, MARCELLE, MARTINEZ, MENA, MOORE, MURRAY, PHELPS, ST.

BLANC, TAYLOR, WALTERS, WYBLE, AND TAYLORYOUNG TOPS:AND SENATORS BARROW, BOUDREAUX, CARTER, CATHEY, DUPLESSIS, FOIL, HARRIS, HENSGENS, JACKSON-ANDREWS, LUNEAU, MIZELL, PRICE, AND REESE AN ACT To amend and reenact R.S.

Revises initial academic eligibility requirements for a TOPS-Tech award and provides for award to part-time students AN ACT To amend and reenact R.S.

to revise academic initial eligibilityeligibilitycriteria criteria for a TOPS-Tech award;

Taylor Opportunity Program for Students As part of the Louisiana Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, the state shall provide financial assistance to any eligible student who enrolls on a full-time basis,unlessotherwiseprovidedbylaw,inaneligiblecollegeoruniversitytopursue anacademicundergraduatedegreeorskilloroccupationaltrainingasdefinedbythePage administering1 agencyof including5 aCODING: vocational or technical education certificate or diploma program or a nonacademic undergraduate degree.

* * * Page 1 of 6 CODING:

HLS 26RS-995 REENGROSSED HB NO.

325 §5024.ENROLLED anacademicundergraduatedegreeorskill oroccupationaltrainingasdefinedbythe administering agency including a vocational or technical education certificate or diploma program or a nonacademic undergraduate degree.

* * * §5024.

(c) SuccessfulcompletionofeitheratSuccessful leastninecreditcompletionofeitheratleastninecredithoursofearlycollege hoursofearlycollege credit,whichmaybeattainedthroughacademicortechnicaldualenrollmentcourses, or equivalent validated skills and learning measures as approved by the Statewide Articulation and Transfer Council.

(1) Make steadyacademic progress as defined by the administering agency towardcompletionoftherequirementsoftheprograminwhichenrolled,earningnot less than the minimum number of hours of credit required for full-time standing or thePage required2 number of hours5 neededCODING: to complete the program's requirements.

If at anytime a student fails to maintain the cumulative grade point average required for continuation in the program or as of the end of anyterm during the school year fails to make steady academic progress as defined by the administering agency, the student shall become ineligible for further payments.

Payments may be reinstated Page 2 of 6 CODING:

HLS 26RS-995 REENGROSSED HB NO.

325 uponENROLLED attainment of the grade point average required fornumber continuation of thehours originalneeded awardto andcomplete the standardsprogram's forrequirements. steady academic progress as defined by the administering agency, provided that the student has maintained other continuation requirements and the period of ineligibility did not persist for more than one year from the date of loss of eligibility.

If thisat one-yearanytime perioda isstudent interruptedfails due to amaintain student'sthe activecumulative dutyserviceingrade thepoint Unitedaverage Statesrequired Armedfor Forces,continuation in the one-yearprogram periodor shallas beof extendedthe forend a length of timeanyterm equalduring to the student'sschool activeyear dutyfails service, not to exceedmake foursteady years,academic unlessprogress theas studentdefined reenlistsby in the Unitedadministering Statesagency, Armedthe Forcesstudent andmaintainsshall continuousbecome activeduty,inineligible whichcasetheperiodshallbeextendedforfor afurther lengthpayments. of time equal to the student's active duty service;

Payments may be reinstated upon attainment of the grade point average required for continuation of the original award and the standards for steady academic progress as defined by the administering agency, provided that the student has maintained other continuation requirements and the period of ineligibility did not persist for more than one year from the date of loss of eligibility.

If this one-year period is interrupted due to a student's active dutyservice in the United States Armed Forces, the one-yearperiod shall be extended for a length of time equal to the student's active duty service, not to exceed four years, unless the student reenlists in the United States Armed Forces andmaintains continuous activeduty,in whichcasetheperiodshallbeextendedfor a length of time equal to the student's active duty service;

If at any time a student fails to maintain the cumulativegradepointPage averagerequiredforcontinuation3 in the program or as ofthe end of any5 termCODING: during the school year fails to make steady academic progress as defined bythe administering agency, the student shall become ineligible for further payments.

Payments may be reinstated upon attainment of the grade point average Page 3 of 6 CODING:

HLS 26RS-995 REENGROSSED HB NO.

325 requiredforcontinuationoftheoriginalawardandthestandardsforsteadyacademicENROLLED progresscumulativegradepoint asaverage definedrequiredfor bycontinuation thein administeringtheprogramorasofthe agency,end providedof thatany theterm studentduring hasthe maintainedschool otheryear continuationfails requirementsto andmake thesteady periodacademic ofprogress ineligibilityas diddefined notbythe persistadministering foragency, morethe thanstudent oneshall yearbecome fromineligible thefor datefurther ofpayments. loss of eligibility.

Payments may be reinstated upon attainment of the grade point average requiredforcontinuationoftheoriginalawardandthestandardsforsteadyacademic progress as defined by the administering agency, provided that the student has maintained other continuation requirements and the period of ineligibility did not persist for more than one year from the date of loss of eligibility.

SectionPage 2.4 of 5 CODING:

This Act shall become effectiveupon signature bythe governor or, if not signedbythegovernor,uponexpirationofthetimeforbillstobecomelawwithoutsignature by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana.

If vetoed bythe governorand subsequentlyapprovedbythe legislature, this Act shall become effective on the dayfollowing such approval.

Page 4 of 6 CODING:

HLS 26RS-995 REENGROSSED HB NO.

325 DIGESTENROLLED ThedigestprintedbelowwaspreparedbyHouseLegislativeSection Services.2.

ItThis constitutesAct nopartshall become effective upon signature bythe governor or, if not signedbythegovernor,uponexpirationofthetimeforbillstobecomelawwithoutsignature by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the legislativeConstitution instrument.of Louisiana.

TheIf keyword,vetoed one-liner,bythe abstract,governor and digestsubsequentlyapprovedbythe dolegislature, notthis constituteAct partshall ofbecome theeffective lawon orthe proofdayfollowing orsuch indiciaapproval. of legislative intent.

[R.S.SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED:

1:13(B)Page and5 24:177(E)]of HB5 325CODING: Reengrossed 2026 Regular Session Brass Abstract:

Expands eligibility criteria for a TOPS-Tech award to include the attainment of earlycollegecreditin high school through completion ofdualenrollmentcoursesor other approved skills and learning measures.

Authorizes TOPS-Tech awards for qualifying part-time students beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year.

Present law provides for the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS), a merit scholarshipprogramforfull-timestudentswhomeetcertainacademiccriteriainhighschool and other requirements.

Proposed law authorizes TOPS awards for part-time students in certain circumstances.

Presentlawprovidesforfourawardlevels,includingTOPS-Tech,forwhichacademicinitial eligibility criteria include both of the following:

(1) GPAofatleast2.5onthespecificTOPS-Techhighschoolcorecurriculumprovided in present law.