TOPS reforms fail, are deferred
Efforts to amend the state’s TOPS program remain on the bottom of the Louisiana legislature’s to-do list, as HB 385 by Rep. Joe Harrison was killed in the House Education Committee on Wednesday.
Harrison’s legislation would have increased the ACT score required to obtain a TOPS scholarship and put a cap on the maximum amount that students could be awarded. Harrison’s bill also mandated that students pay back the scholarship money if they did not meet certain academic requirements.
Following the failure of Harrison’s proposal, several lawmakers with similar TOPS legislation voluntarily deferred their bills, according to NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.
Domestic violence bills pass
The House Criminal Justice Committee unanimously passed three bills Wednesday aimed to protect domestic violence victims in Louisiana.
Among the legislation passed, HB 753 by Rep. Helena Moreno would outlaw the possession of firearms by those convicted of domestic abuse for 10 years after their conviction.
Surrogacy bill passes after revisions
A bill regarding surrogacy births in the state passed the House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure on Tuesday morning, after being considerably amended to appease Christian and family-values lobbying groups.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Lopinto, would allow state-protected surrogacy contracts to be made exclusively by married couples of opposite sexes.