[Oasfaa] FW: State Legislative Update – March 28, 2014

[Fair, Bryce]

Following is the state legislative update for this week.  You will note that we are down to one OKPromise bill now.  HB 3211 would require OKPromise college students to enroll in at least 30 credit hours per academic year.  The bill was amended in the Senate Education Committee on Monday to include language authorizing institutions to make exceptions to the requirement for hardship circumstances.  The language in the bill now states:

To retain eligibility while pursuing the program of higher learning in which enrolled, the student shall:
…
Enroll in a minimum of thirty (30) credit hours each academic year. Each institution of higher education may establish a policy to approve exceptions to this requirement for hardship circumstances as determined by the institution. The institution shall provide a copy of the policy to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. After the end of each academic year, each institution shall submit a report to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education providing the total number of exceptions approved and a summary of the exceptions by type of hardship;

You can find the most current version of HB 3211 at http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2013-14%20FLR/SFLR/HB3211%20SFLR.PDF

The bill was also assigned to the Senate Appropriations Committee which passed the bill in committee on Wednesday.  The Senate Appropriations committee amended the bill by “striking the title and the enacting clause.”  The effect of this amendment is to ensure that the bill cannot be immediately passed when it goes back to the House, but will likely end up in a joint conference committee later in the legislative session.  In short, this procedure allows more time for the Legislature to consider the bill.

The table below shows an analysis of the credit hours taken by OKPromise recipients in 2012-13, broken down by type of institution.

Oklahoma's Promise

2012-13 College Credit Hour Data




2012-13

Total
Recipients

State
Research

State
Regional

State
Two-Year

Private/
Independent

Proprietary/
Career Tech

Recipients

19,642

5,268

7,156

5,937

1,066

215

% of Recipients

100%

27%

36%

30%

5%

1%


Average Credit Hours Enrolled

25.9

28.8

26.5

21.9

29.6

23.0

Median Credit Hours Enrolled

27.0

30.0

28.0

24.0

30.0

24.0


Student Credit Hour Enrollment

30 hours & over

38%

50%

38%

22%

62%

29%

24 - 29 hours

35%

37%

39%

31%

27%

23%

23 hours & under

27%

13%

23%

47%

11%

47%


100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%



The other two OKPromise bills that had been passed by the House, HB 2788 (reduction in award for withdrawals from courses) and HB 2644 (related to students in foster care) were not heard in the Senate Education committee.



The update below reflects the current status of major legislation concerning Higher Education during the week of March 24, 2014 – March 28, 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
March 24th - March 28th


Tuition

No pending legislation.


OKPromise

HB 3211// Representative Jeff Hickman and Senator Jim Halligan// The legislation requires an OKPromise student to enroll in a minimum of thirty (30) credit hours each academic year. Each institution of higher education may establish a policy to approve exceptions to this requirement for hardship circumstances as determined by the institution. The institution shall provide a copy of the policy to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. After the end of each academic year, each institution shall submit a report to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education providing the total number of exceptions approved and a summary of the exceptions by type of hardship;
UPDATE:  The legislation passed out of the Senate Education Committee on March 24, 2014 and passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on March 26, 2014.


Remediation

No pending legislation.


Tuition Waivers/ Scholarships

SB 1829// Senator Corey Brooks and Representative Lisa Billy// 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 has been assigned to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.

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 has been assigned to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.


Governance/ Board Make-up

No pending legislation.


Higher Education Shell Bills

No pending legislation.


Concurrent Enrollment

No pending legislation.


Guns on Campus

HJR 1026// Representative Dan Fisher and Senator Greg Treat// 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 has been assigned to the Senate Rules 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 has been assigned to the Senate Public Safety Committee.


Administrative Procedures Act

SB 1694// Senator Eddie Fields and Representative Harold Wright// The legislation eliminates language regarding the expulsion of a student.
UPDATE:  The legislation has passed out of the House Higher Education Committee on March 25, 2014.


Accreditation

No pending legislation.


Teacher Prep

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 passed out of the Senate Education Committee on March 24, 2014 and passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on March 26, 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 Senate Pensions Committee on March 24, 2014.


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 has been assigned to the House Higher Education Committee.  The legislation is scheduled to be heard in committee on April 1, 2014.


Task Forces/ Advisory Committees

SB1181 // Senator Ron Sharp and Representative Justin Wood//  The legislation establishes criteria for designation as a STEM Community or STEM Region.   The application process shall be outlined by a subcommittee of an existing STEM education or workforce committee or board, to be identified by the Governor.  The creation, sustainment and execution of the subcommittee shall be the responsibility of the Coalition for the Advancement of Science and Mathematics Education in Oklahoma (CASMEO).  The application process shall be based on criteria established by the subcommittee. The criteria for designation as a STEM Community or STEM
Region shall include a requirement that educators, administrators, business leaders, students, parents, government officials and business and industry groups within a community or region create awareness, promote partnerships with education and industry, develop and execute action plans for improving STEM education and training, identify and acquire the needed resources to improve STEM education and training and identify and accumulate STEM data within the community or region, including but not limited to kindergarten through twelfth grade test results, the number of STEM-related degree holders in the local workforce, the number of STEM-related
degrees conferred and the number of STEM-related certifications or credentials obtained.  The region or community shall also develop a plan to recognize and promote successes in both student and teacher accomplishments in the STEM area within the community or region.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Common Education Committee.


Athletics

No pending legislation.


Veterans/Military

SB 1830// Senator Corey Brooks and Representative Gary Banz// 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 out of the House Higher Education Committee on March 25, 2014.


Other

SB 1505// Senator David Holt and Representative Leslie Osborn// 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 has been assigned to the House Appropriations and Budget Committee.

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 has been assigned to the House Appropriations and Budget Committee.

HB 2669// Representative David Derby// The legislation creates the Information Technology Act of 2014.  The legislation state 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 Senate Appropriations Committee on March 26, 2014.

HB 2873// Representative Tom Newell and Senator Greg Treat// The legislation requires institutions of higher education not to take action or enforce a policy that would deny a religious student association any benefit available to any other student association.  In addition, no higher education institution may substantially burden a student’s exercise of religion.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the Senate Education Committee.  The bill is scheduled to be heard on March 31, 2014.

SB 2080// Senator Nathan Dahm and Representative Ken Walker// The legislation creates the “Memorandum of Understanding Act.  The act requires agencies to post on a website and provide copies to appropriate legislative committee chairs any memorandum of understanding agreement entered into by the agencies.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Government Modernization Committee.

SB 1639// Senator Brian Bingman and Representative Elise Hall// The legislation creates the Quality Workforce Act.  This act allows businesses that receive approval from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to receive tax rebates if they pay for an employee to receive their associate degree, an industrial or vocational license or to complete a certification program.
UPDATE:  The legislation has been assigned to the House Appropriations and Budget Committee.


Carryover legislation

No pending legislation.





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