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Committee advances TOPS overhaul including excellence award, 'Tops for Docs' and efforts to level student costs
Summary
Lawmakers reported a major revision to the TOPS scholarship program, adding an excellence award, a Tops for Docs incentive, and changes intended to level tuition-related out-of-pocket costs across public universities; committee adopted amendments that adjusted the fiscal note and restored eligibility for some independent colleges.
A substantial rewrite of the state’s TOPS scholarship program was advanced in committee, with sponsors and members describing a package that would create new awards and incentives and aim to make postsecondary tuition costs more uniform across public institutions.
Representative Turner, presenting House Bill 77, said the bill was trimmed from an earlier, more expensive proposal and highlighted several new elements: creation of an "excellence award" intended to cover tuition for qualifying students who score a 31 on the ACT and have a 3.5 GPA; a "Tops for Docs" pilot to encourage medical students who leave the state for school to return to Louisiana and practice for a specified period; and expanded Tops Tech criteria to support community college students. Turner said the bill also aims to reduce disparities where students pay more at certain campuses by better aligning student out-of-pocket costs across institutions.
Senator Edmonds and others discussed and offered amendments to address fiscal impacts and to restore language affecting independent colleges. Edmonds said an amendment would re‑add several independent colleges to eligibility that had been omitted in prior amendments; the committee adopted an amendment restoring those institutions. Fiscal figures discussed in committee evolved as the amendment set was developed; Edmonds referenced an updated fiscal note and said changes reduced an initial $10.7 million estimate toward a lower total in line with available appropriations.
Senators asked whether the bill's intent to retain graduates in Louisiana would be advanced; Turner replied that the bill's structure creates incentives to align TOPS funding with workforce priorities and retention, and that further adjustments could be made in concert with higher education and workforce agencies. The committee adopted the amendment set and reported the bill favorably as amended.
