Provides relative to TOPS eligibility. (8/1/26) (EG INCREASE GF EX See Note)

Senate Bill 105 amends Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:5029(E)(1) to modify eligibility requirements for military veterans seeking a TOPS-Tech Award. The bill makes two substantive changes to existing law. First, it removes the temporal limitation that previously restricted this military veteran eligibility provision to only the 2020-2021, 2021-2022, and 2022-2023 academic years, making the provision permanent and applicable to all future academic years. Second, it eliminates the standardized test score requirement that previously mandated applicants earn a 17 or higher on the ACT, an equivalent score on the SAT, or a silver level or higher on the ACT WorkKeys assessment. In place of this testing requirement, the bill substitutes a documentation requirement whereby applicants must provide a copy of their DD Form 214, the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, to verify their qualifying military service. These amendments take effect on August 1, 2026.

The practical effect is to expand access to TOPS-Tech Awards for military veterans who were honorably discharged from any branch of the United States Armed Forces from a Louisiana military installation. Veterans who previously would have been ineligible due to insufficient standardized test scores can now qualify for the program by simply submitting their discharge documentation. This change removes a significant barrier to program participation for this population and extends the benefit indefinitely rather than limiting it to a specific three-year window. The requirement to remain honorably discharged and to have been discharged from a Louisiana military installation continues to apply, maintaining existing eligibility restrictions for other criteria.

The TOPS-Tech Award operates within Louisiana's broader Taylor Opportunity Program for Students framework established in R.S. 17:5029. The alternative initial eligibility requirements section that this bill modifies allows individuals to qualify for TOPS-Tech assistance outside the standard eligibility criteria that typically govern the program. By removing the test score requirement for this specific military veteran category, the bill acknowledges military service as an alternative qualification pathway independent of academic achievement measures. The amendment maintains consistency with existing provisions that establish alternative pathways to TOPS eligibility while ensuring compliance with the program's overall structure and mission to provide educational assistance to qualifying Louisiana residents.