[OACADA] Legislative Update – April 24, 2015

[Kyle Foster]

Good morning, everyone.  This latest legislative memo from the Chancellor includes several updates as the session draws to a close.

Best,

Kyle Foster
Liaison Coordinator
Oklahoma Academic Advising Association


OKLAHOMA STATE REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION


Memo


To:                  Legislative Network
From:             Chancellor Glen D. Johnson
Date:               Friday, April 24, 2015
Subject:          Legislative Update – April 24, 2015


The update below reflects the current status of major legislation concerning Higher Education during the week of April 20, 2015 – April 24, 2015.

If you have any questions, please contact Hollye Hunt at hhunt at osrhe.edu<mailto:hhunt at osrhe.edu> or 405.225.9424.

Legislative Report
April 24, 2015

Appropriations and Budget

HB 1174// Representative Earl Sears and Senator Clark Jolley// The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education appropriations shell bill.
UPDATE:  The bill has been referred to the House Appropriations Committee.


OKPromise

HB 2180 // Representative Jeff Hickman and Senator Gary Stanislawski // The legislation requires OKPromise students to complete a minimum of twenty (24) credit hours per academic year.  The legislation extends the application eligibility to the end of a high school student’s 11th grade year.  The legislation is applicable to all institutions in the system and does include a list of exemptions (work, death, health issues) where the bill would not apply to certain students.
UPDATE:  The House rejected Senate amendments.

SB 137 // Senator Corey Brooks and Representative Lee Denney //  The legislation directs the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to develop an appeals process for students who have been denied participation in the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program. The legislation also eliminates disability compensation in determining financial qualification for the program.
UPDATE:  Governor Fallin signed the legislation on April 13, 2015.

SB 177 // Senator Jim Halligan and Representative Lee Denney // The legislation changes the income eligibility for the OKPromise scholarship to $50,000 adjusted gross income.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the House on April 22, 2015 by a vote of 89-0.

HB 1672 // Representative Kouplen and Senator Roger Thompson // The legislation expands eligibility for the OKPromise program to include students in the permanent custody of the Department of Human Services (DHS).
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the Senate on April 22, 2015 by a vote of 43-0.

SB 763 // Senator Randy Bass and Representative Jeannie McDaniel //  The legislation directs the Department of Human Services to work with Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to ensure that foster parents are given information about Oklahoma’s Promise.
UPDATE:  Governor Fallin signed the legislation on April 10, 2015.


Weapons on Campus/Campus Security



SB 234 //Senator Ron Justice and Representative Leslie Osborn // The legislation would allow any full-time police officer to carry their weapon anywhere in the state while off duty.

Update:  Governor Fallin signed the legislation on April 21, 2015.



HB 1460// Representative Kevin Wallace and Senator Nathan Dahm // The legislation provides that the Legislature preempts the entire field of legislation relating to knives and that no municipality or political subdivision may enact any ordinance or regulation regarding knives. However, the measure does allow public or private schools to create policies regulating the possession of knives on school property or in a vehicle used by the school for transportation.

UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the Senate on April 21, 2015 by a vote of 44-1.


State Government Transparency


SB 479 // Senator Nathan Dahm and Representative Jason Murphey // The legislation allows the legislature to request, by passage of a resolution, state agency directors to disclose the federal and/or state authority for agency operations.

Update:  Governor Fallin vetoed the bill on April 10, 2015.



SB 346 // Senator Nathan Dahm and Representative Ken Walker //  The legislation creates the Governor's Transparency Act of 2015 and requires agencies that enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with any other agency to publish a report on their website.

Update:  Governor Fallin vetoed the bill on April 6, 2015.



HB 1748 // Representative Tom Newell and Senator Greg Treat // The legislation requires state agencies to report the amount of federal funds received and to rank the funds according to the agencies reliance on them.

UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the Senate on April 21, 2015 by a vote of 39-1.


Scholarships


SB 138 // Senator Corey Brooks and Representative Tommy Hardin // The legislation would provide in-state status for tuition for certain veterans, their spouses and children.
UPDATE:  Governor Fallin signed the legislation on April 21, 2015.


Endowed Chairs

HB 1732 // Representative Sean Roberts and Senator Eddie Fields // The legislation expands and allows funds from the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Fund to be used for expenses incurred by any institution governed by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to endow chairs relating to research, treatment and prevention of cancer.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the Senate on April 15, 2015 by a vote of 43-3.


Academic

HCR 1002 // Representative Dan Fisher // The concurrent resolution urges the College Board to change the Advanced Placement United States History course framework and examination. The resolution also directs the State Board of Education not to award grants or expend certain money for any Advanced Placement United States History course or examination until certain conditions are met.
UPATE:  The House Concurrent Resolution was introduced on February 2, 2015.

SB 414 // Senator Rick Brinkley and Representative Tom Newell // The legislation lists the independent, not-for-profit institutions that are eligible for the Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the House on April 13, 2015 by a vote of 88-0.

SB 707 // Senator John Ford and Representative Lee Denney // The legislation eliminates end of instruction exams and requires the State Board of Education to develop new high school graduation requirements.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the House on April 22, 2015 by a vote of 90-0.


Task Force/ Advisory Committees

No pending legislation.


Telecommunications

No pending legislation.


Accreditation

No pending legislation.


Shell Bills

No pending legislation.


State Ballot Questions

No pending legislation.


Retirement

SB 405 // Senator Marty Quinn and Representative Kevin Wallace // The legislation allows an institution to contract with a retired employee for a teaching position or a research position for more than 6 semester hours or the equivalent.
UPDATE:  Governor Fallin signed the legislation on April 10, 2015.


Other

SB 23 // Senator Marty Quinn and Representative Mark Lepak //  The legislation creates an open records exemption for certain business information kept by higher education.
UPDATE:   Governor Fallin signed the legislation on April 10, 2015.

HB 1058 // Representative Dennis Casey and Senator Jim Halligan // The legislation authorizes institutions within the State System of Higher Education to process federal tax withholding without claim forms.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the Senate on April 1, 2015 by a vote of 42-0.

SB 612 // Senator Dan Newberry and Representative Harold Wright // The legislation modifies membership to the Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the House on April 21, 2015 by a vote of 74-21.

HB 1859 // Representative Harold Wright and Senator Dan Newberry // The legislation modifies membership to the Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development.
UPDATE:  The bill failed to pass out of the Senate on April 14, 2015 by a vote of 9-36.

HB 1825 // Representative Scott Martin and Senator Rob Standridge // The legislation allows qualified agencies to use tax warrant intercept for collection of monies.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the Senate on April 22, 2015 by a vote of 35-9.


Glen D. Johnson
Chancellor
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104
405.225.9122
gjohnson at osrhe.edu<mailto:gjohnson at osrhe.edu>

[cid:image001.jpg at 01D07EA9.BD70BF40][cid:image002.png at 01D07EA9.BD70BF40]


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.onenet.net/pipermail/oacada/attachments/20150427/f8550431/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 2706 bytes
Desc: image001.jpg
URL: <http://lists.onenet.net/pipermail/oacada/attachments/20150427/f8550431/attachment-0001.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.png
Type: image/png
Size: 4250 bytes
Desc: image002.png
URL: <http://lists.onenet.net/pipermail/oacada/attachments/20150427/f8550431/attachment-0001.png>