[Oasfaa] FW: Legislative Update – March 13, 2015

[Fair, Bryce]

Following is this week’s state legislative update.  The next legislative deadline is April 9 for committee action on bills in the opposite house (House bills that passed the House must be approved in committee in the Senate, and vice-versa).  We have 7 bills related to OKPromise that are still alive at this point.
Bryce Fair



The update below reflects the current status of major legislation concerning Higher Education during the week of March 9, 2015 – March 13, 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
March 13, 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 that OKPromise students enrolled at four-year colleges complete a minimum of thirty (30) credit hours per academic year.  The legislation also extends the application eligibility to the end of a high school student’s 11th grade year.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the House on March 5, 2015 by a vote of 72-10.

SB 137 // Senator Corey Brooks and Representative Lee Denney //  As introduced, 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.  [The current version of the bill now requires the State Regents to review the financial qualifications of certain applications if the parental income includes Social Security benefits due to the death or disability of a parent, or untaxed military benefits.]
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the Senate on March 10, 2015 by a vote of 45-2.

SB 177 // Senator Jim Halligan and Representative Lee Denney // The legislation increases the income eligibility for the OKPromise scholarship to $55,000 adjusted gross income.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the Senate on March 10, 2015 by a vote of 33-8.

SB 504 // Senator Clark Jolley and Representative Jason Nelson // The legislation allows the OKPromise scholarship to be used to attend a nonprofit university that offers online, competency-based degree programs and is accredited.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the Senate on March 10, 2015 by a vote of 39-7.

HB 1848 // Representative Scott Inman and Senator Greg Treat // The legislation expands eligibility for the OKPromise program to include students in the permanent custody of the Department of Human Services (DHS). The student is exempt from meeting all other high school eligibility criteria. The contact person for OHLAP is responsible for identifying students who are in the permanent custody of DHS and providing those names to the State Regents.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the House on March 2, 2015 by a vote of 91-4.

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). The student is exempt from meeting all other high school eligibility criteria.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the House on March 2, 2015 by a vote of 87-6.

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:  The bill passed out of the Senate on March 19, 2015 by a vote of 42-0.


Weapons on Campus/Campus Security

No pending legislation.


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:  The bill passed out of the Senate on March 11, 2015 by a vote of 45-0.


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 House on March 10, 2015 by a vote of 78-6.


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 Senate on March 10, 2015 by a vote of 45-0.

HB 2081 // Representative Jason Nelson and Senator Kim David //  The legislation directs the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to establish a comprehensive transition and postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities, which shall be offered by institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the House on March 5, 2015 by a vote of 78-0.

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 Senate on March 9, 2015 by a vote of 38-5. The bill will be heard in the House Common Education committee on March 16, 2015.


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:  The bill passed out of the Senate on March 9, 2015 by a vote of 41-0.


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:  The bill passed out of the Senator on March 9, 2015 by a vote of 40-1.

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 House on February 19, 2015 by a vote of 92-0.

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 Senate on March 5, 2015 by a vote of 38-4.

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 passed out of the House on March 9, 2015 by a vote of 89-0.

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>

[OK_RegentHigh_transparent][oklahoma-works-logo-vertical-cmyk]






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