HB 1021

HLS 26RS-2122  ORIGINAL
 2026 Regular Session
 HOUSE BILL NO. 1021
 BY REPRESENTATIVE EGAN
 TOPS: Provides relative to repayment of certain TOPS award amounts under certain
  circumstances
1AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:5004, relative to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students; to require
3certain program award recipients to repay award amounts under certain
4circumstances; to exempt students who meet certain criteria from this requirement;
5to require the Board of Regents to promulgate rules for means of collection and
6exceptions; to provide relative to applicability; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8Section 1. R.S. 17:5004 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9§5004. Repayment; exceptions; rules
10A. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, a student who receives an
11Opportunity, Performance, Honors, or Excellence award shall repay the award
12amount that was paid on his behalf to a postsecondary education institution for his
13first academic year of enrollment if his award is canceled for failure to meet
14requirements for maintaining eligibility as provided in R.S. 17:5041, if he resigns
15from the institution, or if he fails to complete a baccalaureate degree by the end of
16the spring semester of his fifth academic year of enrollment. Nothing in this
17Subsection shall be construed to provide for payment of such an award for more than
18eight semesters unless an extension is granted as provided in R.S. 17:5002(E)(1).
19B.(1) A student is exempt from the repayment requirement in Subsection A
20of this Section if he enrolls at an institution under the supervision and management
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  HB NO. 1021
1of the Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical Colleges, referred to in this
2Section as "the board of supervisors", and meets all of the following criteria:
3(a) He enrolls in an eligible program within twelve months of the last date
4of his enrollment at the baccalaureate degree-granting institution.
5(b) He enrolls for at least six credit hours per semester or an equivalent
6number of clock hours as defined in 34 CFR 600.2, as determined by the board of
7supervisors, in a workforce training program.
8(c) He successfully completes the eligible program in no more than thirty-six
9months.
10(2) For purposes of this Subsection, "eligible program" means a program that
11results in industry-based certifications, technical diplomas, certificates of applied
12science, or associate degrees that align with workforce demand as determined by the
13administering agency.
14C. The administering agency shall promulgate rules for the implementation
15of the provisions of this Section that shall include, at a minimum, the following:
16(1)(a) Provision for circumstances under which a student shall be exempt
17from the repayment requirement in Subsection A of this Section even if he does not
18meet the criteria provided for in Subsection B of this Section.
19(b) Provision for circumstances under which a student may be required to
20repay a partial amount instead of the full award amount paid on his behalf to a
21postsecondary education institution for his first academic year of enrollment.
22(2) Provision for all available means of collecting amounts owed and interest
23on unpaid amounts.
24D. The administering agency shall submit a written report to the House
25Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education not later than
26December first annually that includes the number of Opportunity, Performance,
27Honors, or Excellence award recipients who do not complete a baccalaureate degree
28by the end of the spring semester of their fifth year of enrollment, the number of such
29students who then enroll in an institution under the supervision and management of
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HLS 26RS-2122  ORIGINAL
  HB NO. 1021
1the board of supervisors as provided in Subsection B of this Section, the degrees or
2other credentials earned by such students at such institutions, repayment outcomes,
3and any available workforce outcomes. The administering agency may incorporate
4this report into the report required by R.S. 17:5067.
5E. The provisions of this Section shall apply to students who graduate from
6high school during or after the 2025-2026 school year.
  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 1021 Original  2026 Regular Session  Egan
Abstract: Requires repayment of a Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS)
  award under certain circumstances.
Present law provides for TOPS, a merit scholarship program for students attending certain
postsecondary education institutions who meet specific academic criteria and other
requirements. Provides that the administering agency for the program is the Bd. of Regents.
Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law, applicable to students who graduate from high school during or after the
2025-2026 school year, requires a student who initially qualifies for an Opportunity,
Performance, Honors, or Excellence award to repay the award amount paid on his behalf to
a postsecondary education institution during his first academic year of enrollment if his
award is canceled for failure to meet present law requirements for maintaining eligibility,
if he resigns from the institution, or if he fails to complete a baccalaureate degree by the end
of the spring semester of his fifth academic year of enrollment. Provides that nothing in
proposed law shall be construed to provide for payment of an award for more than eight
semesters unless an extension is granted as authorized in present law.
Proposed law exempts a student from this repayment requirement if he enrolls at an
institution under the supervision and management of the Bd. of Supervisors of Community
and Technical Colleges and meets all of the following criteria:
(1)     He enrolls in an eligible program within 12 months of the last date of enrollment at
  the baccalaureate degree-granting institution. (Proposed law defines "eligible
  program" as a program that results in industry-based certifications, technical
  diplomas, certificates of applied science, or associate degrees that align with
  workforce demand as determined by the Bd. of Regents.)
(2)     He enrolls for at least six credit hours per semester or an equivalent number of "clock
  hours" (as defined in federal regulations), as determined by the board of supervisors,
  in a workforce training program.
(3)     He successfully completes the eligible program in no more than 36 months.
Proposed law requires the Bd. of Regents to promulgate rules for proposed law
implementation that shall include, at a minimum, the following:
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(1)    Provision for circumstances under which a student shall be exempt from the
   repayment requirement even he does not meet the proposed law exemption criteria.
(2)    Provision for circumstances under which a student may be required to repay a partial
   amount instead of the full award amount paid on his behalf for his first year of
   enrollment.
(3)    Provision for all available means of collecting amounts owed and interest on unpaid
   amounts.
Proposed law requires the Bd. of Regents to submit a written report to the House and Senate
education committees by Dec. first annually that includes the number of Opportunity,
Performance, Honors, or Excellence award recipients who do not complete a baccalaureate
degree by the end of the spring semester of their fifth year of enrollment, the number of such
students who then enroll in a community or technical college as provided in proposed law,
the degrees or other credentials earned by such students, repayment outcomes, and any
available workforce outcomes.
Present law requires the Bd. of Regents to submit a report by Dec. first annually on specified
aspects of TOPS to the House and Senate education committees. Proposed law allows the
board to incorporate the proposed law report into the present law report.
(Adds R.S. 17:5004)
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