Education committee reports a package of bills on deferred maintenance, TOPS changes, dual enrollment and workforce alignment

The House Education Committee on October 12 reported a set of bills covering construction procurement, TOPS awards and multiple education workforce measures. Committee members heard presentations and debate before voting to report most bills to the next stage of the legislative process; several measures were adopted with technical amendments and one amendment to HB 77 passed on a recorded roll call.

Job order contracting and deferred maintenance

House Bill 566, filed by Representative Turner, would authorize job‑order contracting (JOC) as an alternative delivery method for deferred maintenance projects at post‑secondary institutions. Angela Gilmore, chief facilities officer at LSU, described JOC as a mechanism that lets facilities hire contractors before a detailed scope is finalized and use a large “price book” of preset line‑item costs to accelerate repetitive repair work. Roger Husser, assistant commissioner and director of Facility Planning and Control, said the method is intended to be a third tool in the state procurement toolbox — not a replacement for public bid law — and can shrink procurement lead times. The committee adopted technical amendments and reported HB 566.

TOPS awards and related bills

Representative Turner and Chair Schlegel offered House Bill 77 to revise TOPS award amounts, add a new “TOPS Excellence” tier for students who earn an ACT of 31 or higher, and raise most award amounts. The chair offered an amendment that adds a $700 stipend for students who choose the flagship campus and sets the Excellence award at $11,300 to better align with higher tuition campuses. Representative Tarver recorded an objection to the broader fiscal growth represented by the TOPS package; the amendment itself passed on a roll call, 10 yeas to 1 nay, and the bill was reported with amendments.

Committee members heard student leaders and university presidents in support. Walker Pearson, student‑body president at Louisiana Tech, said the bill “establishes fair and consistent awards that reward student achievement over institutional costs.” Drew Brown, student‑body president at McNeese State and student member of the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors, described the measure as a way to let students choose institutions based on academic fit rather than tuition differences.

Workforce alignment and TOPS Tech

Representative Hughes presented a set of workforce and career‑tech bills. House Bill 161 would align the process for selecting programs eligible for TOPS Tech and TOPS Tech Early Start with the MJ Foster advisory council and the Louisiana Workforce Commission so program lists better match employer demand; the committee adopted amendments clarifying the advisory council’s role and adding course‑based eligibility options. HB 373 would require an annual return‑on‑investment analysis for industry‑based credentials earned in high school and create data collection to evaluate which credentials lead to employment and higher wages; technical amendments were adopted and the bill was reported.

Representative Brass brought HB 70 to expand TOPS Tech initial eligibility by adding a third path: completion of nine dual‑enrollment college credit hours. The Board of Regents testified that course and transcript reporting changes will be required to bring early‑college records into the STS system that LOSFA uses. The committee adopted an amendment and reported HB 70 with amendments.

Education and graduation rules

House Bill 372 (Rep. Hughes) delays the implementation of a computer‑science high school graduation requirement by one year so the change begins with the class of 2031. The committee reported the bill favorably. House Bill 327 (Rep. Chasson) allows nonpublic schools to keep their internal grading scales but requires those schools to submit student grades on a 10‑point scale for TOPS GPA calculations after students graduate; the bill was reported favorably.

TOPS for medical and dental students

Representative Berrault introduced House Bill 275, a targeted measure that would allow students who earned a TOPS award in high school but did not use it for undergraduate study to apply their unused award to Louisiana medical or dental school tuition if they agree to remain in Louisiana to practice. Under the bill, returning applicants sign a promissory note that is forgiven if the graduate practices full‑time in Louisiana for three years; LOSFA testified it will administer tracking. The committee reported HB 275 favorably.

Dual enrollment task force

Representative Brass also moved HB 71 to update membership on the dual‑enrollment task force to reflect merged and renamed organizations. The bill drew a contentious floor exchange over membership language and an amendment substituting one outside organization for another passed on a voice/roll call mix; the final text was reported with amendments. The Board of Regents and task‑force participants said the group has helped expand dual enrollment to more than 41,000 students statewide.

Votes at a glance

- HB 566 (Turner) — job‑order contracting for deferred maintenance: amendments adopted; reported out of committee (voice vote, no objection recorded). - HB 77 (Turner/Schlegel) — revise TOPS award amounts and add TOPS Excellence: amendment adding $700 flagship stipend and $11,300 Excellence award adopted on roll call 10–1; bill reported with amendments. - HB 161 (Hughes) — align TOPS Tech program lists with MJ Foster/Louisiana Workforce Commission: amendments adopted; reported with amendments. - HB 373 (Hughes) — annual ROI analysis for industry‑based credentials: technical amendments adopted; reported with amendments. - HB 372 (Hughes) — delay computer‑science graduation requirement to class of 2031: reported favorably (voice vote). - HB 275 (Berrault/Turner) — allow unused TOPS awards for medical/dental students returning to Louisiana with 3‑year practice requirement: reported favorably (voice vote); LOSFA to administer tracking and promissory note process. - HB 327 (Chasson) — submit nonpublic school grades on a 10‑point scale for TOPS GPA calculation: reported favorably (voice vote). - HB 70 (Brass) — revise initial eligibility for TOPS Tech to include nine college credit hours: amendments adopted; reported with amendments. - HB 71 (Brass) — revise dual‑enrollment task force membership: amendment adopted; reported with amendments.

What lawmakers said and next steps

Supporters said the package aims to accelerate maintenance projects, retain high‑performing students and better align education funding with workforce demand. Opponents warned of fiscal growth: Representative Tarver objected to expanding TOPS award levels without firm budget offsets. Committee chairs and agency staff said follow‑up work remains: procurement rules and the JOC price book will need executive‑branch reporting, LASFA/LOSFA must adjust STS and data flows for dual‑enrollment eligibility and the MJ Foster/TOPS Tech alignment will require interagency coordination. All bills reported from committee will proceed to additional house committees or floor action where appropriations, scoring and final language will be revisited.

Ending

The package cleared committee with a mix of voice approvals and one recorded roll call. Agencies and the Board of Regents were asked to return with implementation detail — notably STS reporting for dual‑enrollment credit, LOSFA administrative requirements for new TOPS options, and a plan for executing JOC price books on deferred maintenance projects.