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LouisianaHB 1612025 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

TOPS: Provides for eligibility requirements for TOPS-Tech and TOPS-Tech Early Start (EN INCREASE GF EX See Note)

Sponsored By: Jason Hughes

Signed by Governor

Education

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

More ways students qualify for training aid

Starting with 2026–2027 awards, students have another way to qualify for an initial TOPS-Tech Early Start Award. They can meet technical dual enrollment course requirements set by the Louisiana Board of Regents. Students can still qualify with scores of at least 15 in both English and math on ACT PLAN or the ACT. The same thresholds apply to ACT PLAN’s successor assessment within Louisiana’s Educational Planning and Assessment System. An equivalent SAT score or a silver-level ACT WorkKeys score also meets this requirement.

New program rules for student training awards

Starting with 2026–2027 awards, a new Louisiana advisory council identifies qualifying programs for TOPS-Tech and TOPS-Tech Early Start. The council must consider M.J. Foster Promise Program qualifications, and Early Start funds can pay only for council-qualified programs. Students already awarded aid can keep using it if their program later loses alignment with workforce priorities. TOPS-Tech awards at eligible public colleges without bachelor’s degrees use those colleges’ 2016–2017 tuition as the funding basis. Awards at other eligible public institutions use a weighted average of 2016–2017 tuition amounts.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Jason Hughes

    Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 142 • No: 0

Senate vote • 6/2/2025

Read by title, passed by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

Yes: 37 • No: 0

House vote • 4/24/2025

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 94, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 94 • No: 0

House vote • 4/16/2025

Reported with amendments

Yes: 11 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 152.

    6/8/2025House

  2. Effective date: 06/08/2025.

    6/8/2025House

  3. Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

    6/5/2025House

  4. Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

    6/4/2025House

  5. Signed by the President of the Senate.

    6/4/2025Senate

  6. Received from the Senate without amendments.

    6/3/2025House

  7. Called from the Calendar.

    6/2/2025Senate

  8. Read by title, passed by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

    6/2/2025Senate

  9. Read by title and returned to the Calendar, subject to call.

    5/28/2025Senate

  10. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

    5/20/2025Senate

  11. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    5/19/2025Senate

  12. Rules suspended. Reported favorably.

    5/14/2025Senate

  13. Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Education.

    4/29/2025Senate

  14. Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

    4/28/2025Senate

  15. Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 94, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

    4/24/2025House

  16. Scheduled for floor debate on 04/24/2025.

    4/23/2025House

  17. Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

    4/22/2025House

  18. Reported with amendments (11-0).

    4/16/2025House

  19. Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Education.

    4/14/2025House

  20. Prefiled.

    3/31/2025House

  21. Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Education.

    3/31/2025House

Bill Text

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