Morrish clarifies details of TOPS bill

Published 12:41 pm Friday, April 1, 2016

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">BATON ROUGE — State Sen. Dan “Blade” Morrish, R-Jennings, said there appears to be a misunderstanding about a TOPS scholarship bill he has filed for consideration at the legislative session.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Senate Bill 169 would not award TOPS to students attending independent colleges and universities in the state. Morrish said it wouldn’t keep students who are now attending private and parochial high schools from receiving TOPS grants.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Morrish said he received a number of phone calls from parents of high school students attending private and parochial high schools who thought they wouldn’t qualify for TOPS if his bill is approved. He said his legislation doesn’t apply to them.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">S.B. 169 would delete private colleges and universities and cosmetology and proprietary schools from the definition of TOPS “eligible colleges and universities.” The proposed legislation also says TOPS recipients enrolled at those institutions in the 2016-17 award year may use the remainder of their awards, provided they meet all eligibility requirements.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">No new awards would be made to students attending private colleges and universities beginning in fiscal year 2017-18, according to the proposal.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The legislation is awaiting a hearing before the Senate Education Committee, which Morrish heads. It has a long way to go before completing the legislative process.</span><p>(MGNonline)</p>