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LouisianaSB 1052026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

TOPS: Provides relative to TOPS eligibility. (8/1/26) (EN INCREASE GF EX See Note)

Sponsored By: Stewart Cathey Jr. (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Education

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

More education aid access for veterans

Beginning August 1, 2026, more veterans can qualify for TOPS-Tech education aid. They must have been honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces at a military installation in Louisiana. A DD Form 214 verifying service replaces the specified ACT, SAT, or ACT WorkKeys test-score requirement. They must still meet the other applicable TOPS-Tech requirements. The law also removes the restriction to the 2020–2021, 2021–2022, and 2022–2023 academic years.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Stewart Cathey Jr.

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Alonzo L. Knox

    Democratic • House

  • Annie Spell

    Republican • House

  • Beryl Amedée

    Republican • House

  • Beth Anne Billings

    Republican • House

  • Charles Owen

    Republican • House

  • Roy Daryl Adams

    Democratic • House

  • Dennis Bamburg Jr.

    Republican • House

  • Dodie Horton

    Republican • House

  • Kim Carver

    Republican • House

  • Les Farnum

    Republican • House

  • Michael Charles Echols

    Republican • House

  • Michael Robert Bayham Jr.

    Republican • House

  • Reese "Skip" Broussard

    Republican • House

  • Rhonda Gaye Butler

    Republican • House

  • Rodney Schamerhorn

    Republican • House

  • Stephanie H. Berault

    Republican • House

  • Tehmi Jahi Chassion

    Democratic • House

  • Timothy P. Kerner

    Republican • House

  • Vincent E. Cox III

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 159 • No: 0

House vote • 5/18/2026

Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 96, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

Yes: 96 • No: 0

House vote • 5/11/2026

Reported favorably

Yes: 16 • No: 0

House vote • 5/6/2026

Reported favorably

Yes: 10 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/15/2026

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

Yes: 37 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 355.

    5/22/2026Senate

  2. Effective date 8/1/2026.

    5/22/2026Senate

  3. Sent to the Governor by the Secretary of the Senate.

    5/20/2026Senate

  4. Enrolled. Signed by the President of the Senate.

    5/19/2026Senate

  5. Signed by the Speaker of the House.

    5/19/2026House

  6. Scheduled for floor debate on 05/18/2026.

    5/18/2026House

  7. Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 96, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

    5/18/2026House

  8. Received from the House without amendments.

    5/18/2026Senate

  9. Read by title, passed to 3rd reading.

    5/13/2026House

  10. Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

    5/12/2026House

  11. Reported favorably (16-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

    5/11/2026House

  12. Read by title, recommitted to the Committee on Appropriations.

    5/7/2026House

  13. Reported favorably (10-0). To be recommitted to the Committee on Appropriations.

    5/6/2026House

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

    4/20/2026House

  15. Received in the House from the Senate, read by title, lies over under the rules.

    4/16/2026House

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

    4/15/2026Senate

  17. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

    4/14/2026Senate

  18. Reported favorably.

    4/13/2026Senate

  19. Read by title. Ordered engrossed and recommitted to the Committee on Finance.

    3/30/2026Senate

  20. Reported favorably.

    3/25/2026Senate

  21. Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Education.

    3/9/2026Senate

  22. Prefiled and under the rules provisionally referred to the Committee on Education.

    2/22/2026Senate

Bill Text

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