HIGHER EDUCATION: Provides relative to initial eligibility requirements for the M.J. Foster Promise Program (EN SEE FISC NOTE SD EX)

This bill modifies the age eligibility requirements for the M.J. Foster Promise Program, a Louisiana initiative that provides tuition assistance to low-income students. Instead of requiring applicants to be at least 21 years old, the legislation introduces a gradual phase-in process that lowers the minimum age over four years. Starting with the 2024-2025 academic year, the age requirement will drop to 20 and continue decreasing annually until it reaches 17 for all subsequent years. These changes directly affect high school graduates and current students seeking to enroll in the program under new, more accessible age criteria.