As used in this Chapter, the following terms have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

            (1) “Beneficiary” means a person designated in an education savings account owner’s agreement, or by the authority when authorized by an account owner meeting the classification requirements of La. Rev. Stat. 17:3096(A)(1)(e), as the individual entitled to apply the savings accrued in an education savings account to the payment of his qualified higher education expenses.

            (2) “Earnings enhancement” is a payment credited to an education savings account, on behalf of the beneficiary of the account, to help offset the beneficiary‘s qualified higher education expenses at a college or university. The purpose of the earnings enhancement is to encourage persons eligible to establish education savings accounts to save for the future qualified higher education expenses of a designated beneficiary. Earnings enhancement is determined by the account owner’s annual income and annual deposits of principal. The earnings enhancements and the interest earned thereon may only be disbursed from an account pro rata with the disbursement of deposits to pay the beneficiary’s qualified higher education expenses at an eligible college or university. An earnings enhancement may not be refunded.

            (3) “Education savings account” is a savings account established by an individual, a group of individuals, or an organization pursuant to the program created by this Chapter for a beneficiary.

            (4) “Fixed earnings” means the placement of all the deposits in an education savings account and the interest earned thereon in investments with fixed earnings.

            (5) “Institution of postsecondary education” means a state college, university, or technical college or institute or an independent college or university located in this state that is approved by the United States Secretary of Education; a public or independent college or a university located outside this state that is approved by the United States Secretary of Education; a proprietary school licensed pursuant to Chapter 24-A of this Title; or a proprietary school located outside this state that is licensed by an out-of-state public postsecondary education board, accredited by a recognized national or regional accrediting body, and eligible to participate in a program under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

            (6) “Member of the family” means, with respect to any designated beneficiary:

            (a) The spouse of such beneficiary.

            (b) An individual who bears one of the following relationships to such beneficiary:

            (i) A son or daughter of the beneficiary, or a descendant of either.

            (ii) A stepson or stepdaughter of the beneficiary.

            (iii) A brother, sister, stepbrother, or stepsister of the beneficiary.

            (iv) The father or mother of the beneficiary, or an ancestor of either.

            (v) A stepfather or stepmother of the beneficiary.

            (vi) A son or daughter of a brother or sister of the beneficiary.

            (vii) A brother or sister of the father or mother of the beneficiary.

            (viii) A son-in-law, daughter-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law of the taxpayer.

            (c) The spouse of any individual described in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph.

            (7) “Other persons” means, with respect to any designated beneficiary, any person, whether natural or juridical, who is not a member of the family, including but not limited to individuals, groups, trusts, estates, associations, organizations, partnerships, and corporations.

            (8) “Qualified higher education expenses” shall have the same meaning as that term is defined in 26 U.S.C. § 529(e)(3) as amended.

            (9) “Redemption value” means the cash value of the education savings account attributable to the sum of the principal invested, the interest earned on principal and authorized to be credited to the account by the authority, any earnings enhancements appropriated by the legislature and authorized by the authority to be credited to the account and the interest earned on earnings enhancements, less any earnings enhancements or interest thereon restricted from expenditure, and any fees due and imposed by rule of the authority.

            (10) “Savings Enhancement Fund” is the subaccount established within the Tuition and Savings Fund by the state treasurer to receive funds appropriated by the legislature or donated from any other source for the purpose of funding earnings enhancements. The funds deposited in this subaccount shall only be used to make earnings enhancements to beneficiaries of education savings accounts, as annually appropriated by the legislature.

            (11) “Trade date” means the date that a deposit to an investment option that includes variable earnings is assigned a value in units, the date a disbursement or refund from an investment option that includes variable earnings is assigned a value, or the date a change in investment options that includes variable earnings is assigned a value, whichever is applicable.

            (12) “Tuition” means the mandatory educational charges imposed by an institution of postsecondary education and all fees required as a condition of enrollment, as delineated by the Louisiana Tuition Trust Authority.

            (13) “Variable earnings” means that portion of funds in an education savings account invested in equities.

            (14) “Variable Earnings Transaction Fund” means the subaccount established by the state treasurer within the Louisiana Education Tuition and Savings Fund to receive earnings funds as described in La. Rev. Stat. 17:3095(H).

            Acts 1995, No. 547, §1, eff. June 18, 1995; Acts 1997, No. 1416, §1, eff. July 15, 1997; Acts 1999, No. 1282, §1, eff. July 12, 1999; Acts 2001, No. 332, §1, eff. June 6, 2001; Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 20, §1, eff. April 18, 2002; Acts 2003, No. 221, §2, eff. June 5, 2003; Acts 2006, No. 279, §1, eff. June 8, 2006; Acts 2012, No. 658, §1, eff. June 7, 2012; Acts 2018, No. 53, §1; Acts 2022, No. 374, §1.