[Oasfaa] State capitol update

[Fair, Bryce]

There was legislative action this week on several bills related to OHLAP and national guard/military personnel:

*	OHLAP supplemental appropriation (SB 1267) - Due to a projected shortfall in revenue derived from casino gaming, OHLAP will receive a supplemental appropriation of $4.6 million to ensure full funding of all scholarships in 2005-06. OHLAP was originally projected to receive $7.2 million from gaming revenue, but recent estimates have lowered that to $2.6 million.  Total OHLAP scholarship expenditures for 2005-06 are expected to be about $27 million.  Both the House and Senate leadership have agreed to this funding item, so we expect the bill to reach the Governor's desk soon.  The bill passed the Senate floor on Feb. 28 by a unanimous 44-0 vote and is now pending action in the House.
SB 1267 bill text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2005-06bills/SB/SB1267_ENGR.RTF

*	OHLAP Income Limit to $75,000 (SB 1993) - This bill proposed by the Senate Democratic leaders would increase the family income limit to $75,000 for 8th-, 9th- and 10th-grade students enrolling in the program beginning in 2006-07.  The bill also passed the Senate earlier this week on February 28.  There has been much discussion on the projected costs to increase the income eligibility to $75,000.  Our estimates are that the higher limit would increase costs by about $10 million dollars over current projections when the first class of the higher income students would enter college in 2009-10.  Each additional entering freshmen class would add another $12 million or so in additional costs.  By 2014-15 (this far out, cost projections get pretty speculative), the annual cost at $75,000 could be $176 million compared to $110 million for the $50,000 level.  The vote on the bill on the Senate floor was 36 ayes (25 Dem. & 11 Rep) to 10 nays (10 Rep.)  You can view the roll call of the vote at http://www.oksenate.gov/legislation/votes/01467.pdf .  The bill now heads to the House, where the leadership has not expressed a position on the proposal.  The Senate author of the bill is Sen. Mike Morgan, Senate President Pro Tempore (D - Stillwater); the House author is Rep. Terry Ingmire (R - Stillwater).
SB 1993 bill text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2005-06bills/SB/SB1993_SFLR.RTF

*	OHLAP - Homeschool student eligibility - HB 2087, by Rep. Randy Terrill (R - Moore) and Sen. Daisy Lawler (D - Comanche) would allow homeschool students to be eligible to participate in OHLAP.  Similar to current OHLAP students attending non-accredited schools, the bill would require homeschool students to score a 22 on the ACT in addition to the other program requirements.  Our current fiscal impact estimates for the change are that it would add about $100,000 to the program costs in 2006-07 and this would gradually rise to about $1.5 million annually by 2012-13.  The bill was passed unanimously in committee in the House yesterday and is now pending action on the House floor.  Initially, the introduced version of the bill also included language dedicated a portion of oil tax revenues to the OHLAP Trust Fund for scholarship expenses.  However, this portion was removed in the committee process.
HB 2087 current bill text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2005-06bills/HB/HB2087_CS.RTF

*	OHLAP - Legislative intent for permanent funding source - SB 1958 is a short bill that simply states the Legislature's intention to find a permanent, ongoing source of revenue for OHLAP.  The Senate author is Sen. Susan Paddock (D - Ada) and the House author is Rep. Danny Morgan (D - Prague).  The bill passed the Senate floor by a unanimous 44-0 vote on March 1.
SB 1958 bill text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2005-06bills/SB/SB1958_ENGR.RTF

*	National Guard/Reserve: HB 2589, by Rep. Rex Duncan (R - Sand Springs) and Sen. Cal Hobson (D - Lexington) relates to the treatment of National Guard and members of the military reserve attending state system institutions who are called to active duty.  The bill passed out of House committee this week.
HB 2589 bill text:  http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2005-06bills/HB/HB2589_CS.RTF

*	Tuition Waiver for Military Personnel and Dependents:  HB 2871, by Rep. Richard Morrisette (D - OKC) would provide a tuition waiver for persons who have served at least one tour of active duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, their spouse, and their children.  The bill passed out of committee in the House this week and is pending action on the House floor.
HB 2871 bill text (introduced version): http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2005-06HB/HB2871_int.rtf

*	OHLAP news video clip:  There was a 2.5 minute news story on OHLAP on the Feb. 21 Channel 9 evening news in OKC that focused on the OKC Hispanic Chamber's efforts (being funded by a GEAR UP grant) to enroll students at Capitol Hill HS in OKC.  Despite a few negative comments about the past effectiveness of OHLAP (sometimes we can be a little sensitive), its a very nice story.  You can see it by clicking on the link below. You have to sit through a 16-second News 9 promo first. 
http://newsok.com/video/1767884/


Bryce Fair 
Assoc. Vice Chancellor for Scholarships & Grants 
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education 
Phone:  (405) 225-9162 
Fax:  (405) 225-9230 
E-mail:  bfair at osrhe.edu 

Mailing Address: 
P.O. Box 108850 
Oklahoma City, OK  73101-8850 

Street Address: 
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200 
Oklahoma City, OK  73104