[Oasfaa] Update on OKPromise-OHLAP legislation

[Fair, Bryce]

Following is the latest information on SB 820, the bill that includes proposed changes to Oklahoma's Promise-OHLAP.  [I've been waiting for an electronic version of the bill as finally passed on the House floor to become available, but it's still not available as of this afternoon.  There is an electronic link to the text of most of provisions further below.] 

On Monday, April 23, the House passed SB 820, but with important changes from the version as passed earlier by the House Education Committee on April 16.  There was extensive discussion of the bill on the House floor before the new version was passed on a vote of 82-17.  The new version now contains the following provisions:

*	Provides a dedicated funding source for the program to ensure that it is fully funded each year.  [No change from previous committee version.  This was the only language that was in the bill as it came over from the Senate.]

> *	Leaves the high school GPA requirement for the program at 2.5.  [The previous committee version proposed increasing the high school GPA to 2.75.]
> 
> *	Requiring a minimum college GPA of 2.5 to retain the award.   [This is down from 2.75 in the committee version.]  Students whose cumulative GPA drops below 2.5 would have one semester to get it back up to the minimum.  Our initial review of the impact of the 2.5 college GPA is that 25-30% of recipients would be impacted, compared to about 40% at the previously proposed 2.75 college GPA.
> 
> *	[New]  Requires a second income "screen" at $100,000 at the time the student goes to college.  This provision would prohibit the student from receiving the award in college if the student's parents' income exceeded $100,000 at that time.   Data we have indicates this would impact 1-2% of students in college.  [This provision was not in the previous committee version.]
> 
> *	Providing eligibility for homeschool students.  Our estimates are that possibly 26 homeschool students might qualify the first year of eligibility, increasing to possibly 300 by 2013-14.  The estimated costs are about $69,000 the first year and possibly $1 million by 2013-14.  [No change from the committee version.]
> 
> *	Requiring that college students in the program comply with institution codes of conduct and refrain from substance abuse and commission of crimes and delinquent acts.   [No change from the committee version.]  
> 
> *	Requiring that any participant in the program be a U.S. citizen or lawfully present in the U.S.  [The specific language has changed some from the committee version, but the impact is still the same.]
> 
You can find most of this new language in the "floor substitute" version of SB 820 at http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2007-08bills/HB/SB820%20FA2%20TERRILLRA-KB.DOC  There is another relatively minor amendment to the version as approved that is not reflected here.

Following are the next expected steps for the bill:
*	The bill now returns to the Senate.  
*	The Senate author (Sen. Mike Morgan) is expected to reject the House amendments and request a joint Senate/House conference committee.
*	The joint conference committee will work on a final version of the bill.
*	If the joint committee members agree on a final version, the bill must be approved again by a vote of the full Senate and House.
*	If approved by the full Senate and House, the bill would go to the Governor.

Also below is the text of a press release issued Monday from the House sponsors of the bill.  It is also available at http://www.okhouse.gov/OkhouseMedia/news_story.aspx?NewsID=1168

Let me know if you have questions.
Bryce Fair


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Press release from the Oklahoma House of Representatives

House Approves OHLAP Funding & Reforms 
4/23/2007 

 
Contact: State Rep. Randy Terrill 
Capitol: (405) 557-7346 

Contact: State Rep. Tad Jones 
Capitol: (405) 557-7380

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 23, 2007) - Thousands of Oklahoma students will be assured of financial support as they pursue a college degree thanks to legislation approved by the Oklahoma House of Representatives today.

Senate Bill 820 would ensure that all scholarships awarded through the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program are fully funded by earmarking a share of general revenue for the program.

Under the bill, the funding needed to pay for all scholarships will be taken "off the top" of general revenue collections each year.

"The great civil rights issue of the 21st Century will be access to a quality education," said House Speaker Lance Cargill, R-Harrah. "This legislation provides that opportunity to many Oklahoma kids while insuring that we maintain high standards. It's not enough to get students through the college doors; we must also push them to achieve all they can. "

"OHLAP students worked hard and played by the rules to qualify for these scholarships, and the state has an obligation to keep its promise and pay for their education," said state Rep. Tad Jones, a Claremore Republican who carried the bill in the House. "This legislation ensures no qualified student is ever denied an education because of financial problems."

"No government program is perfect, but the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program comes close," said state Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore. "OHLAP scholarships allow kids to go to college who probably wouldn't without financial assistance. I was once one of those kids and know how tough it can be for working families to pay for school."

OHLAP pays the college tuition of students from families earning less than $50,000 per year who take a rigorous college curriculum, maintain a 2.5 grade point average and exhibit good behavior during their high school years.

In addition to securing a stable source of long-term funding for the program, Senate Bill 820 also contains several reforms.

Under the bill, only U.S. citizens are eligible for scholarships.

Children who have been home schooled will also be eligible to apply for the scholarships if they have scored a 22 or higher on the ACT.

"All Oklahoma students should have the chance to apply for these scholarships," Terrill said. "There's no reason to discriminate against any qualified student."

In addition, the bill now requires scholarship recipients to maintain a 2.5 GPA throughout college (with one "grace period" semester allowed) and also extends the "good behavior" requirements throughout college. Currently, those conditions apply only to the student's high-school years.

"If the state is going to pay for a student's education, we have the right to expect them to work hard throughout their college years," Jones said. "Students are less likely to goof off if they know they'll ultimately foot the bill."

The bill also includes an "anti-windfall" provision that ensures a student family's income is no more than $100,000 at the time the student begins receiving financial assistance. Currently, the $50,000 income threshold applies only to the time of application.

"If a student's family wins the lottery, they don't need state assistance and won't get it under this bill," Terrill said.

Senate Bill 820 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on an 82-17 vote and now returns to the state Senate.
 

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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