The bill amends several sections of the Louisiana Revised Statutes, specifically R.S. 17:236(A) and 4014, while enacting new provisions under R.S. 17:3996(B)(82) and Chapter 43-C to establish the Louisiana Giving All True Opportunity to Rise (LA GATOR) Scholarship Program. This program is designed to provide state funding for educational options, allowing parents to allocate part of their tax dollars into educational scholarship accounts for their children. The bill also requires the state Department of Education to report to the legislature on the educational options receiving state funding, detailing student eligibility, school participation, and program funds. Additionally, it terminates the existing Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program effective June 30, 2025, transitioning to the new LA GATOR Scholarship Program, which includes provisions for student and school eligibility, financial audits, and an online fraud reporting service.

The LA GATOR Scholarship Program will allocate funds quarterly to student accounts based on appropriated funds, with specific conditions for fund usage, retention, or return to the state general fund. The bill outlines eligibility criteria for students, emphasizing compliance with educational standards and attendance requirements, and mandates annual reporting by the Department on program implementation. It also allows for transitional provisions for schools currently involved in the previous scholarship program, facilitating their participation in the new program. New eligibility requirements specify that students must graduate from a public or approved nonpublic high school or be certified by a parent or guardian as having completed an educational program at the twelfth-grade level through the LA GATOR Scholarship Program. The bill also includes provisions that exempt certain contracts made by the Department of Education from the Chapter's regulations and allows for program management contracts, with effective dates contingent upon legislative appropriations and the governor's approval.

Statutes affected:
SB313 Original: 17:236(A)
SB313 Engrossed: 17:236(A), 17:3996(B)
SB313 Reengrossed:
SB313 Re-Reengrossed: 17:236(A)
SB313 Enrolled: 17:236(A)
SB313 Act : 17:236(A)