§5103. Eligibility under declared health emergency

            A. The legislature finds that due to the effects of the public health emergency declared by the governor on March 11, 2020, relative to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, it is in the best interest for the education of the people of the state that initial and continuing eligibility requirements established in Part I of this Chapter for awards pursuant to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students be modified as provided by this Section for students impacted as a result of the public health emergency.

            B.(1) In response to the public health emergency, provisions of this Chapter that provide for initial eligibility are modified or waived as more fully specified in this Subsection:

            (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 17:5062, the deadline for taking the ACT or SAT for purposes of consideration for an award for students graduating from high school in 2020 is December 31, 2020.

            (i) The administering agency may provide an exception to this deadline if the student provides documentation of:

            (aa) Registration for a test scheduled on a date prior to the deadline.

            (bb) Inability to take the test as scheduled due to circumstances related to COVID-19.

            (cc) Inability to reschedule a test before the deadline due to circumstances beyond the student's control, as determined by the administering agency.

            (ii) The administering agency shall not reduce the time period of eligibility for the award, as set forth in R.S. 17:5002, of an applicant who qualifies for an award pursuant to authority granted by Item (i) of this Subparagraph. The initial award or upgraded award shall be paid for the first time beginning with the semester during which the qualifying score was achieved.

            (b)(i) Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 17:5062, the deadline for taking the ACT or SAT for consideration for an award for students graduating from high school in 2021 may be extended beyond the deadline if the applicant provides documentation of:

            (aa) Registration for a test scheduled on a date prior to the deadline.

            (bb) Inability to take the test as scheduled due to circumstances related to COVID-19.

            (cc) Inability to reschedule a test before the deadline due to circumstances beyond the student's control, as determined by the administering agency.

            (ii) The administering agency shall not reduce the time period of eligibility for the award, as set forth in R.S. 17:5002, of an applicant who qualifies for an award pursuant to authority granted by Item (i) of this Subparagraph.

            (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 17:5026, a student on a Jump Start graduation track shall not be required to complete any Jump Start course, experience, or credential that was waived by the student's high school for high school graduation purposes.

            (d) The administering agency may waive the home study requirements of R.S. 17:5029(B)(1)(b)(i) for a student if it determines that the student's failure to meet those requirements was, more likely than not, due solely to consequences of measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19.

            (2) The provisions of this Subsection apply only to students who meet one of the following criteria:

            (a) The student was enrolled in a Louisiana public high school.

            (b) The student was enrolled in a nonpublic high school in Louisiana having the approval by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education required by Part I of this Chapter for program eligibility purposes.

            (c) The student resided in the state of Louisiana and was enrolled in a home study program approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

            (d) The student resided out of state during the 2019- 2020 academic year but is able to meet the residency requirements to qualify for an award provided for in R.S. 17:5023.

            C.(1) In response to the public health emergency, provisions of this Chapter relative to continuing eligibility are modified or waived with respect to the 2019-2020 academic year as more fully specified in this Subsection:

            (a) The provisions of R.S. 17:5041 or 5042 requiring that a student meet steady academic progress as defined by the administering agency are waived.

            (b) The provisions of R.S. 17:5041 or 5042 requiring that a student achieve a certain cumulative grade point average to continue eligibility for his award are waived.

            (c) For a student whose program award was suspended due to a low grade point average or failure to make steady academic progress, the time periods provided in Part I of this Chapter for the student to meet such requirement before losing program eligibility shall be extended by one semester for each semester the student is unable to enroll or complete due to measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19.

            (d) The administering agency may, by rule, waive any provision of Part I of this Chapter that imposes a program requirement or condition that a student cannot comply with or meet if the administering agency determines that the failure to comply with the requirement or meet the condition is, more likely than not, due solely to a consequence of measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19.

            (2) The provisions of this Subsection apply only to students who meet one of the following criteria:

            (a) The student was enrolled full time as of the census date at an eligible college or university during the spring semester of 2020.

            (b) The student was enrolled full time at an out-of-state college or university as of the census date during the spring semester of 2020.

            (c) The student was scheduled to be enrolled full time at a school operating on a basis other than semesters during the spring of 2020.

            D. The administering agency may adopt any rule, policy, or guideline necessary to implement the provisions of this Section and shall disseminate information regarding program changes pursuant to the provisions of this Section in the most timely manner possible.

            Acts 2020, No. 245, §1, eff. June 11, 2020; Acts 2020, No. 346, §1; Acts 2020, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 17, §1, eff. Oct. 28, 2020; Acts 2021, No. 95, §1, eff. June 4, 2021.