The bill amends existing laws regarding the credit for donations to school tuition organizations in Louisiana, specifically addressing scholarship limits, payment distribution, and testing requirements for qualified schools. Key changes include the requirement for scholarship payments to be distributed on a quarterly basis rather than in specific months, with payments made directly to parents for deposit into the school’s account. Additionally, parents must approve these payments, and if made by check, they may endorse it electronically. The bill also clarifies that parents cannot designate anyone associated with the school to endorse the scholarship checks.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the testing requirements for qualified schools, allowing them to administer either state-required examinations or nationally norm-referenced tests. It also permits qualified students to receive multiple scholarships from different organizations, provided the total does not exceed the actual tuition and fees at the school. The Department of Education is tasked with verifying that the total scholarships do not surpass specified limits, and if they do, the school tuition organization responsible for the excess must refund the state. The act will take effect upon the governor's signature or after the designated period for bills to become law without a signature.

Statutes affected:
SB27 Original: 47:6301(B)(1)
SB27 Engrossed: 47:6301(B)(1)
SB27 Reengrossed: 47:6301(B)(1)
SB27 Enrolled: 47:6301(B)(1)
SB27 Act 403: 47:6301(B)(1)