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Bill

HB 385

TOPS: Provides, under specified circumstances, for repayment of a Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) award (OR INCREASE GF EX See Note)

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Dennis Bamburg

The bill requires TOPS recipients to repay awards if eligibility is suspended or canceled, with defined exceptions and state rules for collection.

Reported with amendments (6-5).
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Bill Summary · HB 385

Summary of HB 385 (Louisiana, 2026 Session)

Title

TOPS: Provides, under specified circumstances, for repayment of a Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) award

Purpose and intent

  • The bill would require repayment of TOPS awards by certain students if their TOPS awards are suspended or canceled for failing to maintain eligibility.
  • It establishes the framework for the Board of Regents to implement repayment rules, including collection methods and exceptions.

Key provisions

1) Repayment obligation

  • A student must repay TOPS award amounts paid to a postsecondary institution on the student’s behalf if the award is suspended or canceled due to failure to meet continuing eligibility requirements (under current TOPS rules).

2) Rulemaking and administration

  • The Board of Regents would promulgate rules to implement repayment, including:
    • Procedures to collect amounts owed and interest on unpaid amounts.
    • Definitions of eligibility-exception circumstances, including maximum duration and certification requirements.

3) Exceptions to repayment (specified circumstances)

The rules may provide exemptions from repayment for certain scenarios, limited to the following:
- Parental leave
- Physical rehabilitation program
- Substance abuse rehabilitation program
- Temporary disability
- Permanent disability
- Exceptional educational opportunity
- Religious commitment
- Death of an immediate family member
- Military service
- Transfer to a selective enrollment program
- Unavailability of courses
- Natural disaster
- Exceptional circumstances

4) Applicability and timing

  • The repayment provisions apply to students who graduate from high school during or after the 2025-2026 school year.
  • The bill adds a new statute, R.S. 17:5004, to govern repayment and related rules.

5) Amendments and exemptions added in committee

  • House amendments add targeted exemptions:
    • A student who initially qualified for an Honors or Excellence award would be exempt from repayment.
    • A student who enrolls during or immediately following the semester of suspension/cancellation at an institution under the supervision of the Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical Colleges in a high-wage, high-demand program designated as a “qualified program.”

Who is affected

  • TOPS award recipients graduating high school in or after the 2025-2026 school year.
  • Students whose TOPS awards are suspended or canceled for not maintaining eligibility, with potential exemptions as specified.
  • Postsecondary institutions participating in the TOPS program (as entities that would handle repayment to the awarding agency).
  • The Board of Regents, which would implement the repayment rules.

Procedural/Timeline considerations

  • Effective subject: Applies to graduates from the class of 2025-2026 onward.
  • Administrative timeline: The Board of Regents must promulgate rules to implement repayment and exceptions.
  • Potential interplay with existing TOPS eligibility requirements, such as academic progress, minimum GPA, and other retention criteria; the repayment would be triggered by suspension/cancellation of TOPS eligibility.

Overall impact

  • The bill introduces financial accountability for TOPS recipients who lose eligibility during college, potentially affecting students’ ability to sustain funding if they do not meet continuing requirements.
  • It creates a defined set of exceptions to accommodate various life events and circumstances, with additional exemptions added by amendments.
  • It shifts some risk of TOPS funding from the state to the individual student, via a repayment mechanism, while outlining collection options for the administering agency.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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