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HB448 • 2026

STUDENT/LOANS-SCHOLARSHP: Authorizes scholarships provided for firefighters and police officers injured in the line of duty and spouses of firefighters and police officers injured or killed in the line of duty to be used for any postgraduate degree (EN INCREASE GF EX See Note)

STUDENT/LOANS-SCHOLARSHP: Authorizes scholarships provided for firefighters and police officers injured in the line of duty and spouses of firefighters and police officers injured or killed in the line of duty to be used for any postgraduate degree (EN INCREASE GF EX See Note)

Education Labor
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Daryl Adams
Last action
2026-05-27
Official status
Sent to Governor
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not specify that scholarships can be used for any postgraduate degree without restrictions, but it allows for bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, or other postgraduate degrees.

Scholarships for Injured Firefighters and Police Officers

This bill allows scholarships provided to firefighters and police officers injured on duty, as well as their spouses, to be used for any postgraduate degree.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows scholarships for firefighters and police officers who are injured while working to cover the costs of a bachelor's, master's, doctoral, or other postgraduate degree.
  • Enables the spouses of firefighters or police officers who were killed or seriously injured in the line of duty to use these scholarships for any postgraduate degree.
  • Requires that scholarship recipients maintain a 'C' average each semester at their college or university.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Firefighters injured in the line of duty
  • Police officers injured in the line of duty
  • Spouses of firefighters who were killed or seriously injured on duty
  • Spouses of police officers who were killed or seriously injured on duty

Terms To Know

Postgraduate degree
A degree earned after completing a bachelor's degree, such as a master’s, doctoral, or professional degree.
Line of duty
The period during which an employee is performing their job responsibilities.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It does not specify how long the scholarships will last.
  • The bill has been passed by the Legislature and sent to the Governor for approval, but it is unclear if or when the Governor will sign it into law.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Plain English: HFAHB448 3391 3237 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Adams to Engrossed House Bill No.

  • HFAHB448 3391 3237 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Adams to Engrossed House Bill No.
  • 448 by Representative Adams 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 2, after "R.S." delete "17:1682.2(A)" and insert "17:1681.2(A) and (C) and 3 1682.2(A)" 4 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 5 On page 1, line 3, after "firefighters;" and before "to" insert "to provide relative to 6 scholarships for certain police officers and spouses of certain police officers;" 7 AMENDMENT NO.

Plain English: HFAHB448 3391 3171 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Adams to Engrossed House Bill No.

  • HFAHB448 3391 3171 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Representative Adams to Engrossed House Bill No.
  • 448 by Representative Adams 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 19, after "spouse" delete the remainder of the line and on page 2, at the 3 beginning of line 1, delete "up to ten semesters" 4 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 5 On page 2, line 15, after "firefighter" delete the remainder of the line and at the beginning 6 of line 16, delete "up to ten semesters" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

Plain English: HCAHB448 3391 2907 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Education to Original House Bill No.

  • HCAHB448 3391 2907 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Education to Original House Bill No.
  • 448 by Representative Adams 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 19, after "for" delete the remainder of the line and on page 2, at the 3 beginning of line 1, delete "bachelor or master's" and insert "up to ten semesters to obtain 4 one bachelor's, master's, doctoral, or other postgraduate" 5 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 6 On page 2, line 15, after "for" delete the remainder of the line and at the beginning of line 7 16, delete "one bachelor or master's" and insert "up to ten semesters to obtain one bachelor's, 8 master's, doctoral, or other postgraduate" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

Plain English: HCAHB448 3391 2682 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Education to Original House Bill No.

  • HCAHB448 3391 2682 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Education to Original House Bill No.
  • 448 by Representative Adams 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 19, after "for" delete the remainder of the line and on page 2, at the 3 beginning of line 1, delete "bachelor or master's" and insert "up to ten semesters to obtain 4 one bachelor's, master's, doctoral, or other postgraduate" 5 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 2 6 On page 2, line 15, after "for" delete the remainder of the line and at the beginning of line 7 16, delete "one bachelor or master's" and insert "up to ten semesters to obtain one bachelor's, 8 master's, doctoral, or other postgraduate" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-27 H

    Sent to the Governor for executive approval.

  2. 2026-05-26 S

    Signed by the President of the Senate.

  3. 2026-05-26 H

    Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

  4. 2026-05-26 H

    Received from the Senate without amendments.

  5. 2026-05-25 S

    Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

  6. 2026-05-20 S

    Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

  7. 2026-05-19 S

    Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

  8. 2026-05-18 S

    Reported favorably.

  9. 2026-04-14 S

    Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Education.

  10. 2026-04-13 S

    Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

  11. 2026-04-08 H

    Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 96, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

  12. 2026-04-07 H

    Scheduled for floor debate on 04/08/2026.

  13. 2026-04-01 H

    Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

  14. 2026-03-31 H

    Reported with amendments (11-0).

  15. 2026-03-09 H

    Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Education.

  16. 2026-02-27 H

    First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.

  17. 2026-02-26 H

    Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Education.

  18. 2026-02-26 H

    Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

STUDENT/LOANS-SCHOLARSHP: Authorizes scholarships provided for firefighters and police officers injured in the line of duty and spouses of firefighters and police officers injured or killed in the line of duty to be used for any postgraduate degree (EN INCREASE GF EX See Note)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 448
BY REPRESENTATIVES ADAMS, CARPENTER, CARVER, CHASSION, FREIBERG,
LACOMBE, MARTINEZ, ST. BLANC, AND TAYLOR
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:1681.2(A) and (C) and 1682.2(A) and (C), relative to
3 scholarships; to provide relative to scholarships for certain firefighters and spouses
4 of certain firefighters; to provide relative to scholarships for certain police officers
5 and spouses of certain police officers; to provide use of certain scholarships; and to
6 provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:1681.2(A) and (C) and 1682.2(A) and (C) are hereby amended
9 and reenacted to read as follows:
10 §1681.2. Scholarships for spouses of police officers killed or disabled in
11 performance of duty and for police officers injured in the performance of
12 duty
13 A. The spouse of a police officer who is injured in the course and scope of
14 the performance of his duties and the injury causes death or serious injury resulting
15 in an inability to be employed, which spouse is otherwise eligible and meets all of
16 the entrance requirements of a college or university, shall be admitted to a college
17 or university without the payment of any fees, tuition, or other charges, including
18 room and board charges. As long as the spouse meets the academic requirements and
19 maintains a "C" average for each semester and complies with the rules and
20 regulations of the college or university required for attendance, as a full-time student,
21 the spouse shall receive the exemption. The Such exemption shall exist for the
22 spouse for the number of semesters required of a full-time student to obtain one
23 bachelor to obtain one bachelor's, master's, doctoral, or other postgraduate degree
24 offered by the college or university. In addition, the spouse shall be entitled to a cash
25 grant of two hundred fifty dollars per semester from the college or university as an
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HB NO. 448 ENROLLED
1 allowance for books, and all of the above sums shall be paid out of funds
2 appropriated from the general fund of the state of Louisiana.
3 * * *
4 C. Any police officer who is injured in the performance of duties as a police
5 officer and such injury results in an inability to be employed, and the police officer
6 is otherwise eligible and meets all of the entrance requirements of a college or
7 university, such police officer shall be admitted to such college or university without
8 the payment of any fees, tuition, or other charges, including room and board charges,
9 as long as such police officer meets the academic requirements and maintains a "C"
10 average for each semester and complies with the rules and regulations of such
11 college or university required for attendance therein as a full-time student. Such
12 exemption shall exist for such police officer for the number of semesters required of
13 a full-time student to obtain one bachelor to obtain one bachelor's, master's, doctoral,
14 or other postgraduate degree offered by such college or university. In addition
15 thereto, such police officer shall be entitled to a cash grant of two hundred fifty
16 dollars per semester from such college or university as an allowance for books, and
17 all of the above sums shall be paid out of funds appropriated from the general fund
18 of the state of Louisiana.
19 * * *
20 §1682.2. Scholarships for spouses of firefighters killed or disabled in performance
21 of duty; scholarships for disabled firefighters
22 A. The spouse of a firefighter who is injured in the course and scope of the
23 performance of his duties and the injury causes death or serious injury resulting in
24 an inability to be employed, which spouse is otherwise eligible and meets all of the
25 entrance requirements of a college or university, shall be admitted to such college
26 or university without the payment of any fees, tuition, or other charges, including
27 room and board charges. As long as such spouse meets the academic requirements
28 and maintains a "C" average for each semester and complies with the rules and
29 regulations of such college or university required for attendance therein as a full-time
30 student such spouse shall receive the exemption. Such exemption shall exist for such
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HB NO. 448 ENROLLED
1 spouse for the number of semesters required of a full-time student to obtain one
2 bachelor to obtain one bachelor's, master's, doctoral, or other postgraduate degree
3 offered by such college or university. In addition thereto, such spouse shall be
4 entitled to a cash grant of two hundred fifty dollars per semester from such college
5 or university as an allowance for books and all of the above sums shall be paid out
6 of funds appropriated from the general fund of the state of Louisiana.
7 * * *
8 C. Any firefighter who is injured in the performance of duties as a firefighter
9 and such injury results in an inability to be employed, and the firefighter is otherwise
10 eligible and meets all of the entrance requirements of a college or university, such
11 firefighter shall be admitted to such college or university without the payment of any
12 fees, tuition, or other charges, including room and board charges, as long as such
13 firefighter meets the academic requirements and maintains a "C" average for each
14 semester and complies with the rules and regulations of such college or university
15 required for attendance therein as a full-time student. Such exemption shall exist for
16 such firefighter for the number of semesters required of a full-time student to obtain
17 one bachelor to obtain one bachelor's, master's, doctoral, or other postgraduate
18 degree offered by such college or university. In addition thereto, such firefighter
19 shall be entitled to a cash grant of two hundred fifty dollars per semester from such
20 college or university as an allowance for books and all of the above sums shall be
21 paid out of funds appropriated from the general fund of the state of Louisiana.
* * *
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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