[Oasfaa] FW: Legislative Update – January 29, 2016

Fri Jan 29 13:49:08 CST 2016

Below is the first update for the 2016 legislative session that begins next Monday.  As you will see, there are several new bills related to Oklahoma’s Promise as well as other bills related to other financial aid issues.  If a bill is described as a “shell bill”, it means that it doesn’t have any real substantive content at this time.  To read the text of a bill and find other information related to the bill, go to http://www.oklegislature.gov/BasicSearchForm.aspx and type in the bill number.  Once you get to the bill’s webpage, the link to the bill’s text is under the tab labeled “Versions.”

We’ll try to let you know if and when any bills get scheduled for a committee hearing.  The first deadline for bills is to be passed in committee in their house of origin by Thursday, February 25.

Let me know if you have any questions.
Bryce Fair

Bryce Fair
Associate Vice Chancellor for Scholarships & Grants
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
P.O. Box 108850
Oklahoma City, OK 73101-8850
Phone: 405-225-9162
Email: bfair at osrhe.edu<mailto:bfair at osrhe.edu>
Fax:  405-225-9230

Memo

To:                  Legislative Network
From:             Chancellor Glen D. Johnson
Date:               Friday, January 29, 2016
Subject:          Legislative Update – January 29, 2016

The update below reflects the current status of major legislation concerning Higher Education during the week of January 25, 2016 – January 29, 2016.

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
January 29, 2016

Governance

HJR 1053// Representative David Derby// The resolution would eliminate the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.  Each institution’s governing board would grant degrees, recommend their budget needs to the legislature, and supervise the functions of the institution.

HJR 1054// Representative David Derby// The resolution repeals Section 3 of Article 13-A. That section requires appropriations made by the Legislature to be in consolidated form.

HB 2556// Representative Harold Wright// The legislation creates the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Community Colleges, which shall consist of nine (9) members appointed by the Governor and with the consent of the Senate.  The Board of Regents of Oklahoma Community Colleges shall have the supervision, management and control of Carl Albert State College, Eastern Oklahoma State College, Murray State College, Northern Oklahoma College, Oklahoma City Community College, Redlands Community College, Rose State College, Seminole State College, Tulsa Community College, and Western Oklahoma State College.

SB 910// Senator Mark Allen// The legislation requires that for an individual to be eligible to serve as president of an institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, the person shall hold a doctorate degree from an accredited institution.  Any person serving as president of an institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education as of the effective day of this act who does not meet the requirements of subsection A of this section shall be allowed to serve out the term of his or her contract.

SB 914// Senator Frank Simpson//  The legislation requires, for the purpose of advising the Board of Trustees of the University Center of Southern Oklahoma, the presidents of the institutions offering courses through the University Center of Southern Oklahoma, or their designees, to serve as non-voting ex officio members of the Board of Trustees.

Appropriations/funding/bonds

SB 1140// Senator Bryce Marlatt// The legislation requires any governmental entity that receives an apportionment or other tax revenue to submit an annual plan for the expenditure of such revenues to the Governor. House Speaker, and Senate Pro Tem that includes the budget for the revenues in the next fiscal year.

SB 1353// Senator Patrick Anderson// The legislation requires the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to submit the master lease list to every member of the Legislature, not just the Governor, Pro Tem, and Speaker.

Consolidation

SB 895// Senator Kyle Loveless// The legislation consolidates the Office of the State Bond Advisor into the Office of the State Treasurer.

SB 1265// Senator Clark Jolley// The legislation deletes the language regarding the course offerings at Cameron University in Duncan, Connors State College in Muskogee, Eastern Oklahoma State College in McAlester, Southeastern Oklahoma State University in McCurtain County, Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Woodward, Northern Oklahoma College in Enid, and Carl Albert State College in Sallisaw.

OKPromise

SB 1046// Senator Jason Smalley// The legislation increases the OKPromise income limit to $75,000.  Additionally, to receive the scholarship, the student must enroll at a state two-year college until reaching Junior status. The student may continue on to finish their degree at a state four-year college with the scholarship. The bill exempts students with at least a 24 ACT (which is the top 27%).

SB 1266// Senator Clark Jolley// The legislation directs that a student must enroll at a state two-year college until reaching Junior status to receive the scholarship. The student may continue on to finish their degree at a four-year college with the scholarship.  The legislation has no exemption for students based on ACT.

HB 2330// Representative Todd Russ// The legislation indicates the scholarship amount for all OKPromise students would be based on the average tuition at the state regional universities based on the previous two years.

HB 2493// Representative Gary Banz // The legislation directs the scholarship amount for the first two years of college would be based on an average of the tuition at the state community colleges over previous two years, plus $200, regardless of where the student enrolls. The scholarship amount for years 3-5 would be based on the average tuition at the state “comprehensive” institutions over the previous two years, plus $200.

HB 2724// Representative Emily Virgin // The legislation is a shell bill relating to OKPromise.

HB 2728// Representative Emily Virgin// The legislation is a shell bill relating to OKPromise.

HB 2823// Representative Lee Denney // The legislation authorizes the OKPromise scholarship to be used for a career technology program eligible for federal student financial aid offered by a technology center school supervised by the State Board of Career and Technology Education.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

SB 996 // Senator Jason Smalley// The legislation is a shell bill relating to OTEG (Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant).

HB 2948// Representative Katie Henke // The legislation is a shell bill relating to OTEG(Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant).

HB 2926// Representative Jason Dunnington // The legislation creates the Oklahoma Community College Scholarship Act.  The scholarship is a “last dollar” or “gap” scholarship for students seeking an associate’s degree, certificate, or diploma from an eligible institution (not limited to state two-year colleges).  The scholarship amount equals state two-year college tuition and fees after all other “gap” support is applied and less $50 to be paid by the student.  The scholarship may be received until completion of an associate’s degree or 2.5 years, whichever comes first.

SB 872// Senator Patrick Anderson// The legislation directs certain scholarships be revoked from students who are convicted or enter a certain plea for misdemeanors involving alcohol, drugs, sexual assault or domestic violence or any felony offense.

SB 869// Senator Patrick Anderson// The legislation prohibits two-year colleges from offering athletics scholarships to out-of-state students.

HB 2515// Representative Ann Coody// The legislation adds an area of emphasis to the Financial Literacy Act relating to the filling out of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

HB 2676 // Representative Corey Williams// The legislation allows certain military personnel and their dependents to receive in-state status.

HB 2681// Representative Dennis Johnson// The legislation allows for an undergraduate tuition waiver for students who are 65 or older, a resident of the state, and pursuing studies in teacher education.

SB 984// Senator Ron Sharp// The legislation creates the Oklahoma Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program. A teacher will be eligible for the loan repayment if the teacher graduated from an institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education with a bachelor's degree in education and teaches at an Oklahoma public school for six (6) consecutive years. The teacher is not required to teach at the same public school for six (6) consecutive years.  The participating teacher will be eligible for an award of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) at the end of each consecutive year in which a qualifying teacher meets the criteria.  The award shall be paid directly to the financial institution that holds the qualifying teacher's student loans in an amount not to exceed fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000.00)

Shell Bills

HB 2810// Representative David Derby// The legislation is a shell bill related to higher education.

HB 2811// Representative David Derby// The legislation is a shell bill related to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

HB 2280// Representative Jason Murphey// The legislation is a shell bill that creates the “State Government Operations Modernization Act of 2016.”

HB 2282// Representative Jason Murphey// The legislation is a shell bill that creates the “State Government Operations Reform Act of 2016.”

HB 2442// Representative Jason Murphey// The legislation is a shell bill that creates the “Open Records and Information Technology Modernization Act.”

HB 2248// Representative Jason Murphey// The legislation is a shell bill related to the Chief Information Officer.

HB 2284// Representative Jason Murphey// The legislation is a shell bill that creates the “State Government Operations Ethics in Contracting Reform Act of 2016.”

HB 2634// Representative Shane Stone// The legislation is a shell bill related to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

HB 3008// Representative Lewis Moore// The legislation is a shell bill that creates the “Higher Education Pay Transparency Act of 2016.”

Repealer Bills

HB 2287// Representative Jason Murphey// The legislation repeals language relating to federal grants.

Energy Conservation

HB 3116// Representative Scott Martin// The legislation clarifies the exemption for the State Facilities Energy Conservation Program. Upon notification by a state agency, the Director shall consider any organizational behavior-based or performance-based energy conservation programs under contract with a state agency prior to August 24, 2012.

Weapons on Campus

HB 2266// Representative George Faught// The legislation allows anyone to carry a handgun on a college campus or CareerTech property.

HB 2660// Representative Casey Murdock//  The legislation does not change the current laws pertaining to guns on campus but deletes the notification procedures and administrative fine relating to the unlawful carry of a firearm on campus.  The legislation additionally prohibits a public or private college from establishing any policy that would prohibit a person from storing a shotgun in a locked motor vehicle on campus.

HB 3046// Representative Sally Kern// The legislation is a shell bill that creates the “Safe Campus Act of 2016.”

SB 1028// Senator Josh Brecheen// The legislation allows certain statewide or federally elected or appointed officials to carry a firearm on his or her person anywhere in Oklahoma if the person has completed a handgun course.

SB 980// Senator Joseph Silk//  The legislation provides that any citizen over the age of 21 may transport a pistol, open, loaded or unloaded, in a vehicle without a license.  The individual may also leave a concealed, loaded pistol in their parked unattended car.

SB 1124// Senator Nathan Dahm// The legislation creates the “Oklahoma 2nd Amendment Preservation Act.”  The bill states that the right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental right not to be infringed.

SB 1143// Senator Nathan Dahm// The legislation allows an individual to carry a handgun on a college or university or CareerTech property provided the handgun is concealed at all times.

SB 1348// Senator Nathan Dahm// The legislation allows any person with a valid handgun license to carry a handgun on the property of a college or university or CareerTech.

Housing

HB 2329//  Representative Todd Russ//  The legislation directs the board of regents for each institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education shall adopt a student housing policy that prohibits the establishment and offering of co-ed housing in dormitories.  The bill defines co-ed housing as housing that integrates mean and woman on the same floor or in the same room.  The bill allows an exemption for married couples or family members living together.

Telecommunications/ IT

HB 2616// Representative Todd Thomsen//  The legislation is a shell bill related to the “Oklahoma Telecommunications Act of 1997.”

HB 2617// Representative Todd Thomsen// The legislation is a shell bill related to the “Oklahoma Telecommunications Act of 1997.”

Data and Reporting

HB 3028// Representative John Paul Jordan//  The legislation requires the Oklahoma State Regents, in conjunction with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, to annually prepare an economic security employment report of employment and earning outcomes for degrees earned at colleges and universities.  Beginning January 31, 2018, each institution will need to provide the report to students electronically.

HB 3166// Representative Jeff Hickman// The legislation requires additional information to be included in the State Regents’ annual report to the legislature.  The legislation would now require the report to include:

1.     The budget prepared by the State Regents setting out in detail the necessary expenses of the State Regents for the next fiscal year;

2.     The budget requests or proposals submitted by each institution to the State Regents for the next fiscal year;

3.     The funding formula or allotment system used by the State Regents to allocate money to each institution, including a description of the functional goals of the formula or system for distributing funds to each institution;

4.     A calculation of any differences in the budget requests amounts for each institution and the actual amounts allocated to each institution, including an explanation for any differences; and

5.     Any other data considered relevant by the State Regents.
Additionally, by January 1 of each year, each institution of The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education shall submit a report to the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the minority floor leaders and education committee chairs of both houses of the Oklahoma Legislature, which includes:

1.     A copy of reports submitted to the State Regents, which itemizes the tuition and fees for each institution by campus or location; and

2.     The total budget of each institution for the previous fiscal year, including the amount of revenue received from tuition and fee and other sources and expenses for each campus or location.

SB 1342// Senator Greg Treat// The legislation changes the definition of the term “expenditure of state funds” to the term “expenditure of funds” in the Taxpayer Transparency Act.  The bill requires the Open Books website to include data which tracks the expenditures of federal funds by FY 2017.

State Authorization

SB 1157// Senator Stephanie Bice// The legislation requires all private and out-of-state public degree granting institutions to abide by policies and procedures that are established by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

Colleges of Education/ Academics

HB 2551// Representative Ann Coody// The legislation requires the State Regents to enter into a contract with a nonprofit education center for the purposes of establishing a comprehensive dyslexia teacher training program.  The legislation establishes an advisory committee and requires the program to be implemented within 90 days of the effective date of the act.

HB 2951// Representative Michael Rogers//  The legislation requires the State Department of Education and the Oklahoma State Regents to identify and recruit students into the teaching profession.  The legislation directs the Department to develop materials to distribute and emphasize the importance of teaching.

SB 938// Senator Jason Smalley// The legislation directs the Oklahoma State Department of Education, in consultation with the Oklahoma State Regents, Commission for Education Quality and Accountability, the State Board of Career and Technology Education and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, to develop high school graduation requirements.

SB 940// Senator Jason Smalley// The legislation directs the Oklahoma State Department of Education, in collaboration with the Oklahoma State Regents, to define “college readiness” as it relates to a student’s performance on statutory assessments, ACT, SAT or other college placement assessments.  The legislation also requires the State Regents to develop transition courses for 12th grade students who have not achieved college readiness by the end of the 11th grade year.

Immigration

HB 2861// Representative Sean Roberts// The legislation indicates that no state agency, board, commission, department, authority, instrumentality or other entity of state government shall use any of its funding for programs related to assistance to any person who is not a citizen of the United States for the purpose of establishing residency in the United States.

Thank you.

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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