TOPS: Authorizes students who qualify for a TOPS award but graduate from an out-of-state college to apply unused award amounts to medical or dental school in Louisiana and requires repayment unless certain conditions are met (OR +$367,110 GF EX See Note)

HB 678 allows Louisiana students who qualified for a TOPS scholarship but completed their undergraduate degree at an out-of-state college to use unused TOPS funds for medical or dental school in Louisiana. Students must sign a repayment agreement for the unused amount plus interest, but are exempt from repayment if they complete a residency program or practice medicine/dentistry full-time in Louisiana for three consecutive years after residency. The bill limits unused funds to eight semesters or equivalent and caps payments at the tuition cost of Louisiana’s highest-cost public university. It requires the Board of Regents to establish rules for repayment collection and exceptions.