[Oasfaa] FW: State Legislative Update - February 21, 2014

[Fair, Bryce]

Below is this week's state legislative update.  There were several bills heard in committee this week.  Several more bills are expected to be heard in committee next week before the legislative deadline for initial committee action on Thursday, February 27.  If you are interested, you can listen to recordings of the discussion of House bills in House committees (the Senate does not provide this option).  Go to the bill search website at http://www.oklegislature.gov/BasicSearchForm.aspx and type in the House bill number.  One of the menu options you will see for information on the bill is labeled "Video".  For committee discussion, there is usually no video but there is an audio recording of the committee's discussion and action on the bill.  There will be actual video recording for bills that are heard on the House floor.

One OKPromise bill died in committee this week.  HB 2902 would have required OKPromise public high school students to complete the personal financial literacy passport requirements that are already mandated in law for all public high school graduates beginning in 2014.  The committee expressed concern that this bill simply duplicated an existing requirement.

Let me know if you have questions.
Bryce Fair



The update below reflects the current status of major legislation concerning Higher Education during the week of February 17, 2014 - February 21, 2014.

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
February 17th - February 21st


Tuition

HB 2781// Representative James Lockhart// The legislation requires the legislature to approve tuition and fee increases by concurrent resolution. The State Regents shall submit the recommendations to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President Pro Tempore of the Senate by February 1 prior to the next academic year. The Legislature shall by concurrent resolution either approve or disapprove the proposed tuition rate increase. The tuition rate increase shall be deemed approved if the Legislature has adjourned the regular session and has failed to disapprove the tuition rate increase.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Higher Education Committee.  The legislation will be heard in committee on February 25, 2014.

SB 2001// Senator Connie Johnson// The legislation creates the "Pay it Forward/ Pay it Back" Pilot Program.  Subject to the availability of funds, the State Regents may create a program where a student would forgo paying tuition and fees to attend an institution and agree to pay the State of Oklahoma or the higher education institution a portion of their adjusted gross income upon graduation.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee.

HB 2462// Representative Mike Turner// The legislation permits, beginning with the 2015-2016 academic year, each comprehensive and regional institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education to establish a tuition payback program. The program shall offer to eligible resident students who are enrolled as a full-time undergraduate an opportunity to enroll in the institution without paying tuition or fees. In lieu of paying tuition and fees, the student shall be required to sign a binding contract to pay to the institution a certain percentage of the annual federal adjusted gross taxable income of the student upon graduation from the institution for a specified number of years as provided for in the Oklahoma Student Loan Public University Competition Act.
UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the House Higher Education Committee on February 18, 2014.


OKPromise


HB 2778// Representative Jadine Nollan// The legislation requires a student to either repay the tuition for courses or units dropped or limits the payment of their next OKPromise award.
UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the House Higher Education Committee on February 18, 2014.




HB 2902// Representative Ann Coody// The legislation requires a student to take a financial literacy class in high school to satisfy eligibility for the OKPromise award.
UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the House Appropriations Subcommittee committee on February 12, 2014. This legislation failed to pass out of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee on February 19, 2014 with a vote of 5-11.



HB 2962// Representative Ann Coody// The legislation is a shell bill relating to OKPromise.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Rules Committee.



HB 3211// Representative Jeff Hickman// The legislation requires an OKPromise student to take 15 credit hours each semester. [This bill was amended in committee to require OKPromise students to enroll in 30 credit hours each calendar year.]
UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the House Higher Education Committee on February 11, 2014.



HB 3419// Representative Mike Shelton// The legislation requires a student to attend a financial literacy course offered through the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education.



HB 3499// Representative Jason Nelson// The legislation is a shell bill relating to OKPromise.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Rules Committee.



HB 2749// Representative Todd Russ// The legislation is a shell bill relating to OKPromise.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Higher Education Committee.



HB 2644// Representative Steve Kouplen//  The legislation eliminates the income requirements of the OKPromise program for students who are in the permanent custody of the Department of Human Services at the time the student enrolls in the program.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Higher Education Committee.  The legislation will be heard in committee on February 25, 2014.



SB 1662// Senator John Ford// The legislation creates the Career Promise Act.  The new scholarship would pay the fees for certain associate degrees designated by the Dept. of Commerce.  The associate degree must be in a critical industry area that meets the guidelines of the identified core competencies of the state based on wealth generation, growth potential and competitive advantage.  The student must also meet the OKPromise income and academic requirements.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee.



SB 1190// Senator Randy Bass// The legislation increases the income eligibility from $50,000 to $68,000.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee.





Remediation



HB 3179// Representative Gus Blackwell//  The legislation does not allow a college or university to charge a student who enters college three years from graduating high school tuition or fees for remediation courses.  The student may take the remediation course at the higher ed facility or the resident school district.  The college or university may charge an online fee if the class is taken online.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Rules Committee.





Tuition Waivers/ Scholarships



SB 1491// Senator John Sparks// The legislation allows a student to be eligible for resident tuition if the student enrolls prior to 2016, graduated from a Oklahoma high school and resides in the state of Oklahoma.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee.



HB 2535// Representative Doug Cox// The legislation creates the Oklahoma Early College Scholarship Program. The program allows a student who graduates from an Oklahoma high school in three years to receive a scholarship to a higher education institution.   The scholarship will be funded with a portion of the money saved by the state in providing state aid funding to school districts.
UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education on February 12, 2014.



HB2634// Representative Eric Proctor and Senator Brian Crain// The legislation provides a full waiver of resident tuition and fees if the student is a resident of Oklahoma and served as a member of the active uniformed military services of the United States on full-time active duty status for more than thirty (30) days.
UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the House Higher Education Committee on February 11, 2014.



SB 1829// Senator Corey Brooks// The legislation allows a student to be eligible for resident tuition if the student presents to the institution valid documentation of participation in the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps, Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps or the Navy/Marines Reserve Officers' Training Corps.
UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the Senate Education Committee on February 17, 2014 and is double assigned to the Senate Appropriations Committee.



SB 1223// Senator Frank Simpson// The legislation creates the 9/11 G.I. Bill.  The bill allows a one-hundred-percent-disabled veteran of any branch of the United States Armed Forces, including the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Air Force, the United States Coast Guard or the Oklahoma National Guard, whose injuries were sustained while on active duty and in the performance of his or her duties and his or her spouse and children, to be entitled to attend any state-supported technology center school operating under the State Board of Career and Technology Education or any institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education without payment of tuition or fees.
UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on February 12, 2014 and is double assigned to the Senate Appropriations Committee.





Governance/ Board Make-up



SJR 47// Senator Jim Halligan// The resolution is a state question that limits the members serving on the A&M Board of Regents to 16 years of service.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the Senate Rules Committee.





Higher Education Shell Bills



HB 3342// Representative Scott Inman// The legislation is a higher education shell bill.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Higher Education Committee.



SB 1617// Senator John Sparks// The legislation is a higher education shell bill.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the Senate Rules Committee.



HJR 1091// Representative TW Shannon// The resolution is a state question related to higher education.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Rules Committee.



HB 3084// Representative TW Shannon// The legislation is a higher education shell bill.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Higher Education Committee.



SB 1606// Senator Ron Justice// The legislation is a higher education shell bill relating to the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the Senate Rules Committee.





Concurrent Enrollment



HB 2479// Representative Justin Wood// The legislation is a shell bill relating to concurrent enrollment.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Higher Education Committee.





Guns on Campus



HJR 1026// Representative Dan Fisher// The joint resolution affirms that it is the fundamental right of each individual citizen to keep and to bear arms.  It restricts the state from imposing laws on licensure, registration or special taxation on the acquisition, ownership or possession of arms, ammunition, or the components of arms or ammunition.

UPDATE:  The legislation is a carryover from last session and passed out of the State Rights Committee on February 28, 2013.



HJR 1085// Representative Dan Fisher// The joint resolution eliminates all restrictions on owning weapons in the State of Oklahoma.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the States' Rights Committee.



HB 2887// Representative John Enns and Senator AJ Griffin// The legislation allows a college or university to establish a policy for the general public in lieu of written permission to each individual licensee.  A college or university that provides written consent for an individual or provides a policy that allows a concealed or unconcealed weapon on property is immune from liability arising from that decision.
UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the House Judiciary Committee on February 18, 2014.



HB 2881// Representative Tom Newell// The legislation indicates that in lieu of written consent to each individual licensee, the college or university president may establish a campus-wide policy for the general public.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Rules Committee.



SB 1466// Senator Nathan Dahm//  The legislation provides that if a college or university gives written consent for an individual licensee pursuant to the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act to carry a concealed weapon on property that the college or university owns or has legal control of, the college or university is immune from liability arising from such consent.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee.



SB 1363// Senator AJ Griffin// The legislation indicates that in lieu of written consent to each individual licensee, the college or university president may establish a campus-wide policy for the general public.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the Senate Education Committee.





Administrative Procedures Act



SB 1694// Senator Eddie Fields// The legislation eliminates language regarding the expulsion of a student.
UPDATE:  The legislation passed the Senate Education Committee on February 17, 2014.





Accreditation



SB 1660// Senator John Ford// The legislation requires additional steps a private institution must follow to operate in the state of Oklahoma.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the Senate Education Committee.  The bill is scheduled to be heard in committee on February 24, 2014.



HB 2318// Representative Ken Walker// The legislation allows a religious, theological or faith-based institution to be exempt from the State Regents accreditation requirements if the institution can show the following: 1) it is a nonprofit institution owned, controlled, operated and maintained by a bona fide church or religious denomination, lawfully operating as a nonprofit religious corporation, 2) limits the educational program to the principles of the associated church or denomination and the diploma or degree is limited to evidence of completion of the program and 3) only grants degrees or diplomas in areas of study that contain on their face in the written description of the title of the degree or diploma being conferred a reference to the religious, theological or faith-based aspect of the subject area of the degree.

UPDATE:  The legislation failed to pass out of the House Higher Education Committee on February 18, 2014.



HB 2352// Representative Sally Kern// The legislation allows a religious, theological or faith-based institution to be exempt from the State Regents accreditation requirements if the institution meets the following: 1) the name of the institution includes a religious modifier or the name of a religious patriarch, saint, person or symbol of the church, 2) the institution offers only educational programs that prepare students for religious vocations as ministers, professionals or laypersons in the categories of ministry, counseling, theology, education, administration, music, fine arts, media communications or social work, 3) the titles of degrees issued by the institution cannot be confused with secular degree titles, 4) the duration of all degree programs offered by the institution is consistent with the standards of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and 5) the consumer practices of the institution are consistent with any consumer practice requirements established by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Rules Committee.



SB 1160// Senator Nathan Dahm// The legislation allows a religious, theological or faith-based institution to be exempt from the State Regents accreditation requirements if the institution can show the following: 1) it is a nonprofit institution owned, controlled, operated and maintained by a bona fide church or religious denomination, lawfully operating as a nonprofit religious corporation, 2) limits the educational program to the principles of the associated church or denomination and the diploma or degree is limited to evidence of completion of the program and 3) only grants degrees or diplomas in areas of study that contain on their face in the written description of the title of the degree or diploma being conferred a reference to the religious, theological or faith-based aspect of the subject area of the degree.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the Senate Education Committee.





Teacher Prep



HB 2655// Representative Sally Kern// The legislation requires teacher candidates to study English Language acquisition and teaching methods and strategies for the instruction of an English Language Learner.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Common Education Committee.



HB 2885// Representative Ann Coody//  The legislation directs the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation to work with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the various institutions of higher education to establish a paid teacher internship program at each institution for prospective teachers. The purpose of each program shall be to provide mentorship and support for prospective teachers. Students enrolled in a teacher education program and students enrolled in an alternative placement program shall be eligible to participate in the program.
UPDATE:  The legislation failed to pass out of the House Common Education Committee on February 10, 2014.





Pension/ Retirement



HB 2611// Representative Randy McDaniel// The legislation amends the definition section of "regular annual compensation" to exclude clinical related activity performed in Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS) Professional Practice Plan.

UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the House on February 12, 2014 with a vote of 93-0.





Open Records



SB 1577// Senator Sean Burrage//  The legislation creates an exemption to the Open Records Act.  It allows higher education institutions to keep confidential  1) business plans, feasibility studies, financing proposals, marketing plans, financial statements or trade secrets submitted by a person or entity seeking economic advice, business development or customized training from such Departments or school districts, and 2) proprietary information of the business submitted to the Department or school districts for the purpose of business development or customized training, and related confidentiality agreements detailing the information or records designated as confidential, and 3) information compiled by such Departments or school districts in response to those submissions.

UPDATE:  The legislation passed the Senate Rules Committee on February 19, 2014.



HB 2394// Representative Elise Hall// The legislation requires public bodies such as state boards and commissions to record all public meetings and make footage available on the public body's website.

UPDATE:  The legislation passed the House Government Modernization Committee on February 19, 2014.





Task Forces/ Advisory Committees



HB 2959// Representative Josh Cockroft// The legislation establishes the, "Oklahoma-A STEM State of Mind Act" and creates an advisory committee with the primary purpose of promoting and supporting STEM education and training.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Common Education Committee.



SB 1958// Senator Sean Burrage// The legislation creates the "Skills for Jobs Working Group." The working group will study the state's workforce need projections.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the Senate Education Committee.





Athletics



HB 3454// Representative Anastasia Pittman// The legislation does not allow an institution to be a member of a nonprofit athletic association unless the association the institution belongs to requires annual baseline concussion testing of each student athlete on the active roster of each team participating in a contact or collision sport.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Higher Education Committee.



SB 2107// Senator Connie Johnson// The legislation creates the Student-Athlete Bill of Rights.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee.





Veterans/Military



SB 1830// Senator Corey Brooks// The legislation allows men and women who are enrolled at a higher education institution and are in the active uniformed military services to take a leave of absence if called into active duty.  If an institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education fails to comply with the provisions of this act, the student may bring an action in district court for actual and compensatory damages for noncompliance and may be granted such relief as is just and proper under the circumstances.
UPDATE:  The legislation passed the Senate Education Committee on February 17, 2014 and is double assigned to the Senate Appropriations Committee.





Other



HB 3435// Representative Mike Shelton// The legislation directs the State Regents to make financial literacy courses available for students at different times during the academic year for no tuition or fee costs.

UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Rules Committee.


HB 2537// Representative Jason Murphey// The legislation prohibits a state agency from hiring an individual who has filed as lobbyist with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission for any time within the two year period preceding the date of hiring and paying the individual.
UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the House Government Modernization Committee on February 6, 2014.  The legislation failed to pass out of the House by a vote of 30-64 on February 17, 2014.


SB 1505// Senator David Holt// The legislation authorizes state agencies, at their discretion, to offer their employees an option to voluntarily elect to be paid, one time annually, for a certain number of hours of unused accrued annual leave. This policy will be optional for all eligible employees, and the employee may choose the monthly pay period in which he or she elects to receive such payment.

UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the Senate General Government Committee on February 10, 2014.  The legislation passed out of Senate Appropriations and Budget Committee on February 19, 2014.



SB 1966// Senator Anthony Sykes and Representative Jon Echols// The legislation requires Commissioners of the Land Office to employ only the Office of the Attorney General of Oklahoma in all matters.  It also provides that funds that are not paid prior to certain time limits be calculated at a different rate of interest.
UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 10, 2014.

HB 2669// Representative David Derby// The legislation creates the Information Technology Act of 2014.  The legislation states that unless a state agency has internal expertise to conduct the risk assessment and can submit certification of such expertise along with the annual information security risk assessment, the risk assessment shall be conducted by a third party. The Information Services Division of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services shall approve not less than two third-party firms which state agencies may choose from to conduct the information security risk assessment. A state agency with an information technology system that is not consolidated under the Information Technology Consolidation and Coordination Act or that is otherwise retained by the agency shall submit a final report of information security risk assessment to the Information Services Division by the first day of December of each year.

UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the House Government Modernization Committee on February 20, 2014.


Carryover legislation


HB 1840// Representative David Derby// The legislation deletes the exemption and transfers OneNet under the control of the State Chief Information Officer.
UPDATE:  The legislation failed to pass out of the House Government Modernization Committee on February 6, 2014.

HB 1888// Representative Josh Cockroft // The legislation creates a website called "Oklahoma State Government Open Records One Stop Initiative."  The State CIO will develop a site that would allow the public to file requests for documents pursuant to the Oklahoma Open Records Act.
UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the House Government Modernization Committee on February 13, 2013.





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