[Oasfaa] FW: Legislative Update – May 22, 2015

Tue May 26 16:03:36 CDT 2015

Following is the state legislative update with action through last Friday, May 22, the last day of the legislative session.

None of the three remaining Oklahoma’s Promise bills (HB 2180, HB 1672, SB 177) were passed.  These bills can possibly be considered further during the next legislative session in 2016.

HB 2180 would have created a minimum credit hour completion requirement for OKPromise college students.  The last version of the bill proposed by the House author included the following provisions:

·       OKPromise students enrolled at four-year colleges would have been required to complete 30 credit hours unless they met one of nine specified exceptions.

·       The exceptions included one for students working at least 15 hours per week as verified by the institution.

·       Students enrolled exclusively at two-year colleges would have been exempted from the 30 credit hour requirement.

·       A one-year probationary period was included for students failing to meeting the credit hour requirement.

·       The application period in high school would have been expanded from 8th-10th grade to include 11th and 12th grade.

·       The family income of students in high school could not exceed $50,000 for each year in high school until the student graduated.

·       The family income of OKPromise students in college could not exceed $100,000 for each year of college.
(you can find the text of this proposed version at http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2015-16%20SUPPORT%20DOCUMENTS/SCHEDULED%20CCR/House/HB2180%20CCR%20B.PDF)
The House and Senate conference committee members were not able to agree on this version of the bill and therefore the bill was never passed out of the conference committee.

In the final appropriations bill, operating funding for the state higher education system (for institutions and programs, including funding for state financial aid programs except OKPromise) was reduced by 3.5% or $32.7 million.  The state system also received an additional $8.6 million to pay mandated debt-service payments on previous capital bond issues.   This additional $8.6 million makes the overall reduction to higher education appear to be only 2.4% or $24.1 million (the operational impact is still the 3.5% reduction).

Let me know if you have questions.
Bryce Fair

OKLAHOMA STATE REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

Memo

To:                  Legislative Network
From:             Chancellor Glen D. Johnson
Date:               Friday, May 22, 2015
Subject:          Legislative Update – May 22, 2015

The update below reflects the current status of major legislation concerning Higher Education during the week of May 18, 2015 – May 22, 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
May 22, 2015

Appropriations and Budget

HB 2242// Representative Earl Sears and Senator Clark Jolley// The general appropriations bill which includes higher education funding of $963,412,106.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the House on May 20, 2015 by a vote of 54-42.    The bill passed out of the Senate on May 22, 2015 by a vote of 38-9.    The bill was sent to Governor Fallin for her consideration.

OKPromise

HB 2180 // Representative Jeff Hickman and Senator Gary Stanislawski // The legislation requires OKPromise students to complete a minimum of twenty (24) credit hours per academic year.  The legislation extends the application eligibility to the end of a high school student’s 11th grade year.  The legislation is applicable to all institutions in the system and does include a list of exemptions (work, death, health issues) where the bill would not apply to certain students.
UPDATE:  The House rejected Senate amendments.  The House sent the legislation to the Conference Committee on Higher Education and CareerTech.

SB 137 // Senator Corey Brooks and Representative Lee Denney //  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.
UPDATE:  Governor Fallin signed the legislation on April 13, 2015.

SB 177 // Senator Jim Halligan and Representative Lee Denney // The legislation changes the income eligibility for the OKPromise scholarship to $50,000 adjusted gross income.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the House on April 22, 2015 by a vote of 89-0.

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).
UPDATE:  The House rejected Senate amendments.  The House sent the legislation to the Conference Committee on Higher Education and CareerTech.  The Senate named the General Conference Committee on Appropriations.

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:  Governor Fallin signed the legislation on April 10, 2015.

Weapons on Campus/Campus Security

SB 234 //Senator Ron Justice and Representative Leslie Osborn // The legislation would allow any full-time police officer to carry their weapon anywhere in the state while off duty.

Update:  Governor Fallin signed the legislation on April 21, 2015.

HB 1460// Representative Kevin Wallace and Senator Nathan Dahm // The legislation provides that the Legislature preempts the entire field of legislation relating to knives and that no municipality or political subdivision may enact any ordinance or regulation regarding knives. However, the measure does allow public or private schools to create policies regulating the possession of knives on school property or in a vehicle used by the school for transportation.

UPDATE:  Governor Fallin signed the legislation on May 4, 2015.

State Government Transparency

SB 479 // Senator Nathan Dahm and Representative Jason Murphey // The legislation allows the legislature to request, by passage of a resolution, state agency directors to disclose the federal and/or state authority for agency operations.

Update:  Governor Fallin vetoed the bill on April 10, 2015.

SB 346 // Senator Nathan Dahm and Representative Ken Walker //  The legislation creates the Governor's Transparency Act of 2015 and requires agencies that enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with any other agency to publish a report on their website.

Update:  Governor Fallin vetoed the bill on April 6, 2015.

HB 1748 // Representative Tom Newell and Senator Greg Treat // The legislation requires state agencies to report the amount of federal funds received and to rank the funds according to the agencies reliance on them.

UPDATE:  Governor Fallin vetoed the bill on May 11, 2015.

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:  Governor Fallin signed the legislation on April 21, 2015.

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 House rejected Senate amendments.  The House sent the legislation to the General Conference Committee on Appropriations.  The Senate named the General Conference Committee on Appropriations.

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:  Governor Fallin signed the legislation on May 8, 2015.

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 Senate rejected House amendments.  The Senate sent the legislation to the General Conference Committee on Appropriations.

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:  Governor Fallin signed the legislation on April 10, 2015.

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:   Governor Fallin signed the legislation on April 10, 2015.

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: Governor Fallin signed the legislation on May 6, 2015.

SB 612 // Senator Dan Newberry and Representative Harold Wright // The legislation modifies membership to the Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development.
UPDATE:  Governor Fallin signed the legislation on April 27, 2015.

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 failed to pass out of the Senate on April 14, 2015 by a vote of 9-36.

HB 1825 // Representative Scott Martin and Senator Rob Standridge // The legislation allows qualified agencies to use tax warrant intercept for collection of monies.
UPDATE:  Governor Fallin signed the legislation on May 8, 2015.

HJR 1030 // Representative George Faught and Senator Marty Quinn // The legislation disapproves parts of permanent rules of Virtual Charter School Board, ABLE Commission and Oklahoma State Athletic Commission.
UPDATE:  The bill passed out of the House on May 19, 2015 by a vote of 66-23.

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>

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