BATON ROUGE - A proposed bill in the Louisiana Senate aimed at mandating post-graduation residency for recipients of the state's Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) scholarship has been withdrawn from consideration.
Senate Bill 443, introduced by Katrina Jackson-Andrews of Monroe, sought to impose residency conditions on TOPS recipients, requiring them to reside and work in Louisiana for three years following their college education. Additionally, the bill proposed that failure to meet this residency requirement would obligate graduates to repay 1/3 of their TOPS awards annually for each year they resided outside of Louisiana. This meant that students who relocated out of state immediately after graduation would be accountable for reimbursing the state for their entire TOPS financial aid.
The bill outlined the Louisiana Office of State Financial Assistance (LOSFA) as responsible for enforcing and administering the residency requirement, including informing students of the regulations and ensuring compliance.
The withdrawal of the bill signals a reconsideration of the legislative approach regarding post-graduation obligations for TOPS recipients, potentially impacting both students and the state's higher education system.