[Oasfaa] FW: Legislative Update – April 21, 2017

Fri Apr 21 16:41:57 CDT 2017

Below is the weekly legislative update.  SB 529, the Oklahoma’s Promise bill, could be heard on the House floor as soon as the beginning of next week.  The current text of the bill can be found at http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2017-18%20FLR/HFLR/SB529%20HFLR.PDF.  As a reminder, the bill includes the following changes for Oklahoma’s Promise:
·       Adjusts the application income limit to $55,000 AGI:  The current $50,000 limit (based on taxable and nontaxable income) has not been adjusted since 2000.  The increase to $55,000 based on Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) would apply to 8th-10th graders in 2017-18 and would not have a fiscal impact until 2020-21 when the tenth-graders reach college.  The bill also contains a second adjustment to $60,000 effective for 8th-10th graders in 2021-22.
·       Authorizes eligibility for more postsecondary career technology certificate programs:  Currently only career technology courses that qualify for college credit are eligible for the use of the scholarship.  Under the proposed change, any career tech program eligible for federal financial aid would be eligible for use of the OKPromise scholarship.
·       Eliminates the payment for remedial courses in college:  The estimated savings is $1.5 million per year.  Colleges are currently in the process of reforming remediation and many high school seniors will soon have access to College Career Math Ready courses designed to help lessen the need for math remediation in college.
·       Applies the second family income check every year in college:  Currently, the second income check at $100,000 is conducted only one time when the student starts college.  The change would disqualify students whose family income is above $100,000 after their freshmen year.  The annual savings is estimated at $1.5 million.
·       Caps the number of credit hours paid in college:  Once fully implemented, the change is expected to save about 1%-2% of program costs per year.
·       Aligns scholarship retention requirements with college degree-completion standards:  To maximize degree-completion, the scholarship retention requirements would be aligned with college degree-completion standards.
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, April 21, 2017
Subject:          Legislative Update – April 21, 2017

The update below reflects the current status of major legislation concerning Higher Education during the week of April 17, 2017 – April 21, 2017.

If you have any questions, please contact Todd Pauley at tpauley at osrhe.edu<https://outlook.osrhe.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=3NTasxTWTeg18SGWqpS-_ONI2SzGyhwrkzlaJ22yVKliQQZwPGLUCA..&URL=mailto%3atpauley%40osrhe.edu> or 405.225.9424 (office) or 405.824.5896 (cell).

Legislative Report

April 21, 2017

Recently many tax and revenue shell bills have been filed.  These bills are authored by Representative Leslie Osborn and Senator Kim David.  The bill numbers and subjects are listed below:

Public Finance

House Bills 2394, 2393, 2390, 2389, 2388, 2387, and 2386

Government Modernization

House Bills 2385, 2384, and 2383

Revenue and Tax

House Bills 2382, 2381, 2380, 2379, 2378, 2377, 2376, 2375, 2374, 2373, 2372, 2371, 2370, 2369, 2368, 2367, 2366, 2365, 2364, 2363, 2362, 2361, 2360, 2359, and 2358

Tax Code

House Bills 2357, 2356, 2354, 2353, 2352, 2351, 2348, and 2347

Appropriations

House Bill 1020 (Representative Leslie Osborn and Senator Kim David) This is an appropriation measure for Oklahoma State University Medical Center.