Education (Higher Education)

This bill requires students who receive Louisiana's TOPS scholarship to repay their award if they fail to maintain eligibility, resign from their college, or do not earn a bachelor's degree by the end of their fifth academic year. The repayment applies to the amount paid on the student's behalf for their first year of enrollment, but it does not apply if the student transfers to a community and technical college within 12 months and completes an eligible workforce program within 36 months. The administering agency must create rules to handle repayment exceptions, partial repayments, and collection methods, and must submit annual reports on TOPS student outcomes and repayment data. The law applies to high school graduates who enroll in college during or after the 2025-2026 school year.

HB 229 prohibits Louisiana public colleges and universities from using state funds for degree programs designated as "low-earning outcome programs" under federal law (20 U.S.C. 1087d(c)). This includes student financial aid, operational funding, and capital grants for affected programs, directly impacting institutions and students enrolled in those programs. The Board of Regents must annually review federal designations, update rules, and report on prohibited programs and fiscal impacts. An exception allows general studies programs if students concentrate in non-low-earning fields. The law takes effect before the summer 2027-2028 semester.

SB 399 creates the Louisiana Higher Education Research Security Council to protect the state's colleges and universities from foreign adversaries. The law requires institutions to report and restrict gifts, contracts, research partnerships, and academic collaborations with entities from countries or groups designated as foreign adversaries, while prohibiting certain travel and gifts from such sources. It defines key terms like "foreign adversary" and "foreign source," and includes penalties for violations, such as the theft of trade secrets. The bill directly affects all Louisiana institutions of higher education that grant degrees or have a physical presence in the state.