[Oasfaa] FW: Legislative Update – March 13, 2020

[Fair, Bryce]

A few bills in red text will be removed from the list for failing to be passed on the floor of their house of origin by yesterday.


OKLAHOMA STATE REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION


Memo


To:                  Higher Education Network
From:             Chancellor Glen D. Johnson
Date:               Friday, March 13, 2020
Subject:          Legislative Update – March 13, 2020


The update below reflects the current status of major legislation concerning Higher Education during the week of March 9, 2020 – March 13, 2020.

If you have any questions, please contact LeeAnna McNally, Vice Chancellor for Governmental Relations, at lmcnally at osrhe.edu<mailto:lmcnally at osrhe.edu> or (405) 225-9424.

Legislative Report
March 13, 2020

Ad Valorem Taxes

Senate Bill 1563 (Senator Chuck Hall and Representative Dustin Roberts) Clarifies that under the Ad Valorem Tax Code, “transmission company” and “public service corporation” will not be construed to include cable television companies or fixed wireless Internet service companies that operate over Federal Communications Commission unlicensed frequencies.
Update: Passed Senate Finance Committee 8-0, with title stricken on Tuesday, February 25. Passed the Senate Floor 44-2 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the House.

House Bill 3191 (Representative John Pfeiffer and Senator John Michael Montgomery) Modifies the definition of the term “cost approach” in the Ad Valorem Tax Code. The bill modifies the duties of the Oklahoma Tax Commission's Ad Valorem Division to include providing, from year to year, schedules containing estimated replacement cost or reproduction cost, depreciation tables and instructions for the valuation of personal property in accordance with Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) requirements to aid county assessors in the assessment of personal property.
Update: Assigned to the House Appropriations and Budget Committee. Reassigned to House County and Municipal Government Committee. Passed House County and Municipal Government Committee 9-1 on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the House Floor 82-9 with title stricken on Tuesday, March 11.


Agency Administration

Senate Bill 177 (Senator Ron Sharp and Representative Daniel Pae) Requires all state agencies to make available on their website, or on a general website if a state agency uses a general website, each fiscal year, a balance sheet and statement of revenues, expenditures and changes in fund balances pursuant to the standards of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, beginning Jan. 1, 2020. (Carryover bill)
Update: Passed off the Senate Floor 39-5 on Wednesday, February 19. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 263 (Senator Nathan Dahm and Representative Tom Gann) Requires state agencies to publish their exempt rules on their website. The bill modifies the deadline for agencies to respond to requests from the Governor, the Legislature and small businesses to review certain rules. It reduces the deadline to 30 days for requests from the Governor and the Legislature and implements a 90-day deadline for small business requests. (Carryover bill)
            Update: Passed the Senate Rules Committee 10-0 with title stricken on Thursday,
February 20. Failed to meet deadline.

Senate Bill 326 (Senator Nathan Dahm and Representative Jon Echols) Permits any member of the Legislature during each regular session to request by proper passage of a resolution introduced by either the Senate or the House of Representatives a statement of legal authority for a specific facet of operations of an agency. (Carryover bill)
Update: Passed the Senate Rules Committee 9-2 with title stricken on Thursday, February 27. Passed off the Senate Floor 36-9 with title restored on Thursday, March 5. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1163 (Senator Mark Allen and Representative Johnny Tadlock) Requires the Archeological Survey of the State of Oklahoma, also known as the Oklahoma Archeological Survey, to relocate artifacts found on private property after a flood for assessment and preservation within 30 days of the property owner providing notice to the survey, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties.
Update: Passed the Senate General Government Committee 10-0 on Thursday, February 20. Passed off the Senate Floor 42-0 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1167 (Senator Dewayne Pemberton and Representative Chris Sneed) Permits the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission to release certain information to the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education and the Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education.
Update: Passed Senate Business Commerce and Tourism Committee 8-0 on Thursday, February 26. Passed off Senate Floor 43-3 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1284 (Senator Gary Stanislawski and Representative Charles Ortega) Removes the requirement that the Division of Central Accounting and Reporting superintend the recovery of all debts due state government and that it certifies every requisition by a duly accredited disbursing officer for an advance of funds from the State Treasury to the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for approval.
Update: Passed the Senate Finance Committee with title stricken 8-0 on Tuesday, February 18. Passed off the Senate Floor 44-0 on Monday, March 2. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1405 (Senator Nathan Dahm and Representative Charles Ortega) Grants the Governor the authority to remove any officers appointed by him, notwithstanding any provision of law. It grants the Governor the authority to remove any gubernatorial appointments on any agency, board or commission at any time, subject to the provisions therein and notwithstanding any other provision of law or any appointments created by expiring terms or vacancies provided by law.
Update: Passed Senate Rules Committee 8-2 on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the Senate Floor 35-9 with title stricken on Wednesday, March 11. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1434 (Senator J.J. Dossett and Representative Nicole Miller) Entitles a state employee hired on or after Nov. 1, 2020, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to additional credit without limit for sick leave with pay for the purpose of undergoing medical treatment, including mental health treatment, for his or her service-connected disability, in addition to any other sick leave with pay.
            Update: Assigned to the Senate General Government Committee then to the
Senate Appropriations Committee. Passed the Senate General Government Committee 10-0 with title stricken on Thursday, February 20. Passed Senate Appropriations 16-0, with title stricken on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the Senate Floor 46-1 with title restored on Monday, March 9.

Senate Bill 1501 (Senator Nathan Dahm and Representative Matt Miller) Requires an agency’s report to the Office of Management and Enterprise Services of all funds available to the agency for expenditure to include, but not be limited to, information on federal funds that are under the agency’s control and subject to certain disclosure requirements. Also requires all political subdivisions to report federal funding.
            Update: Passed the Senate Appropriations Committee as amended with title stricken 16-
4 on Wednesday, February 12. Passed off the Senate Floor 34-9 with title restored. on Wednesday, March 11. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1820 (Senator Kim David and Representative Terry O’Donnell) Modifies language related to state agencies and officials hiring legal representation. It requires the list of attorneys and firms desiring to furnish services and a schedule of fees for each attorney and firm be maintained and made available to the public. It establishes a schedule of fees for legal representation. It adds requirements to contracts between state agencies and officials and their legal representatives.
Update: Laid over in the Senate General Government Committee on Thursday, February 20. Passed Senate General Government Committee 8-2 on Thursday, February 27. Passed off the Senate Floor 38-9 on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1840 (Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat and Speaker Charles McCall) Requires all state agencies, boards and commissions that desire to apply for a grant of more than $50,000, excluding those of the federal government, to obtain written approval of the appropriate cabinet secretary prior to beginning the grant application process. It requires the cabinet secretary to communicate the details of the grant application to the Secretary of Budget, if approved.
            Update: Laid over in the Senate Appropriations and Budget Committee on Wednesday,
February 19, Passed Senate Appropriations 16-4, with title stricken on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the Senate Floor 38-9 on Wednesday, March 11. Engrossed to the House.

House Bill 2899 (Representative Justin Humphrey) Allows state agencies to adopt policies allowing full-time classified employees and regular unclassified employees who meet certain standards to have up to three hours a week of paid leave for the purpose of physical fitness and wellness.
            Update: Assigned to the House Appropriations and Budget General Government
Subcommittee. Committee. Passed the House Appropriations and Budget General Government Subcommittee 6-2 on Monday, February 10. Failed to meet deadline.

House Bill 3040 (Representative Tammy West and Senator Brenda Stanley) Protects information about personal electronic communication devices of current and former public employees from public inspection without the permission of the current or former public employee or an order from a court of competent jurisdiction.
Update: Passed the House Government Efficiency Committee 10-0 on Wednesday, February 12. Passed off the House Floor 92-0 on Monday, March 2. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3068 (Representative Lundy Kiger and Senator Dewayne Pemberton) Changes the penalty for state employee’s punishment for being in violation of state income taxes to wage garnishment instead of termination of employment.
            Update: Assigned to the House Appropriations and Budget General Government
Subcommittee. Passed the House Appropriations and Budget General Government
Subcommittee 8-0 on Monday, February 10. Passed House Appropriations and Budget Committee 23-0, with title stricken on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the House Floor 92-0 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the Senate. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3390 (Representative Terry O’Donnell and Senator Kim David) The bill requires the list of attorneys and firms desiring to furnish services and a schedule of fees for each attorney and firm be maintained and made available to the public. It permits an agency or official to agree to deviate from the schedule of fees only with the approval of the Attorney General if the new schedule of fees would not violate a fee schedule established by the bill.
Update: Passed the House Judiciary Committee 15-0 on Tuesday, February 25 Passed off the House Floor 83-9 with title stricken on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3613 (Representative Terry O’Donnell and Senator Kim David) Creates the Personal Privacy Protection Act. It defines terms used therein. It prohibits a public agency from: requiring any individual to provide the public agency with personal affiliation information or otherwise compel the release of personal affiliation information and requiring any entity organized under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code to provide the state agency or political subdivision with personal affiliation information or otherwise compel the release of personal affiliation information. Makes personal affiliation information exempt from the Oklahoma Open Records Act.
            Update: Passed the House Government Efficiency Committee 10-0 on Wednesday,
February 19. Passed off the House Floor 77-13 on Thursday, March 5. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3819 (Speaker Charles McCall and Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat) Requires any contract or agreement made by any state agency to be open for inspection to any member of the Legislature. It prohibits any state agency to prohibit any person or entity from communicating with any member of the Legislature.
            Update: Assigned to the House Government Efficiency Committee. Reassigned to House
Rules Committee. Passed the House Rules Committee 8-0 on Tuesday, February 11. Passed off the House Floor 94-1 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 4025 (Speaker Charles McCall and Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat) Requires each agency or institution of the state to regularly transmit to the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency raw datasets as requested by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency for the purpose of creating a data clearinghouse to aid in the work of the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency. It requires the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency to adopt policies and procedures pursuant to which a state agency must be required to comply with the provisions therein, including the format in which the data is transmitted, how the data is organized and such other matters as the Office prescribes.
Update: Passed the House Rules Committee 8-0 on Tuesday, February 11. Passed off the House Floor 93-0 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 4050 (Speaker Charles McCall and Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat) Requires the director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services to ensure state agencies are charged no more than the actual cost of the services provided by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. The bill provides such charges not include costs related to administration, overhead, insurance or any other additional costs indirectly related to the services provided.
Update: Passed the House Rules Committee 7-0 on Tuesday, February 11. Passed off the House Floor 97-0 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 4058 (Speaker Charles McCall and Senator Marty Quinn) Modifies the appointing authority for the five members of the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. Three members would be appointed by the Governor, one by the Speaker of the House, and one by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. It requires each member to serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority. It gives the Governor appointing authority over the Executive Director of the Commission, with advice and consent of the Senate. It requires the Executive Director to serve at the pleasure of the Governor, but may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of each chamber of the Legislature.
Update: Passed the House Rules Committee 7-1 on Thursday, February 27. Passed off House Floor 72-25 with title stricken on Wednesday, March 11. Engrossed to the Senate.


Budget and Taxation

Senate Bill 1562 (Senator Stephanie Bice and Representative Scott Fetgatter) Requires the Oklahoma Tax Commission to, upon written notification of expenditure approval from the Commission on County Government Personnel Education and Training, distribute from the agency special account the approved amount, if available, to the Oklahoma State University Center for Local Government Technology or the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service County Training Program, as applicable.
Update: Passed Senate Appropriations Committee 17-0 with title stricken on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the Senate Floor 40-5 on Wednesday, March 11. Engrossed to the House.

House Bill 3968 (Representative Mark McBride and Senator Roger Thompson) Modifies the maximum amount of outstanding principal with respect to obligations of the Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority to $250 million for the purpose of funding the backlog of the Endowed Chairs program.
            Update: Passed the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education 11-0
on Tuesday, February 11. Passed House Appropriations and Budget Committee 25-0, with title stricken on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the House Floor 88-3 on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to the Senate.


CareerTech

House Bill 3378 (Representative Mickey Dollens and Senator James Leewright) Creates an income tax credit, for taxable years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2021, and ending not later than Dec. 31, 2025, for qualifying apprenticeship programs. The bill defines applicable terms. It caps the total annual amount of the credit at $3 million. It makes the credit non-refundable. It permits Governor's Council for Workforce and Economic Development, in coordination with the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, to adopt rules necessary to establish standards for participation and eligibility and to implement and administer the tax credit program. It requires the Council to consult with the Oklahoma Tax Commission to coordinate implementation and administration of the program. The bill requires the Council to report annually to the House Appropriations and Budget Committee and Senate Finance Committee chairs the effectiveness of the apprenticeship program no later than January 31st each year.
Update: Passed the House Appropriations and Budget Committee 27-1 with title stricken on Wednesday, February 19. Passed off the House Floor 72-21 on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to the Senate.


Charter Schools

Senate Bill 1098 (Senator Gary Stanislawski and Representative Carol Bush) Prohibits persons who are related within the second degree by affinity or consanguinity from serving simultaneously on the same board of education of any charter school.
Update: Passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0 on Tuesday, February 11. Passed off the Senate Floor 42-0 on Wednesday, February 26. Engrossed to House.

Senate Bill 1203 (Senator Gary Stanislawski and Representative Chad Caldwell) Clarifies that charter school attendance is separate from the sponsor membership and attendance.
            Update: Assigned to the Senate Education Committee then to the Senate Appropriations
Committee. Passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0 on Tuesday, February 18. Passed Senate Appropriations 16-1, with title stricken on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the Senate Floor 44-2 with title restored on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1313 (Senator Dewayne Pemberton and Representative Toni Hasenbeck) Prohibits the State Board of Education from sponsoring a charter school unless the State Department of Education has made a determination and recommendation that the board has the capacity, both in financial and personnel resources, to sponsor a charter school and the capacity to adhere to the contractual requirements and follow the sponsor contract guidelines outlined therein.
Update: Passed Senate Education Committee 12-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the House Floor 46-0 on Monday, March 2. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1365 (Senator Gary Stanislawski and Representative Jay Steagall) Requires the State Board of Education to deduct 5 percent the State Aid Allocation for statewide virtual charter schools sponsored by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board that have an average daily membership (ADM) of more than one thousand five hundred (1,500) students. This funding would be deposited into the State Public Common School Building Equalization Fund.
Update: Assigned to the Senate Education Committee then to the Senate
Appropriations Committee. Passed the Senate Education Committee 11-0 on Tuesday, February 18. Passed the Senate Appropriations Committee 20-0 with title stricken on Wednesday, February 19. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1541 (Senator Gary Stanislawski and Representative Rhonda Baker) Changes the name of the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board to the Oklahoma Commission for Digital Learning. The bill increases the terms of office for commission members to five years. The bill adds the Chancellor of Higher Education and the Director of the Department of Career and Technology Education as members of the commission and makes them, as well as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Secretary of Education, voting members, rather than non-voting ex officio members. The bill removes outdated language.
            Update: Assigned to the Senate Education Committee then to the Senate Appropriations
Committee. Passed Senate Education Committee 13-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Passed Senate Appropriations 17-0, with title stricken on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off Senate Floor 46-1 on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to House.

House Bill 3369 (Representative Jon Echols and Senator Kim David) Prohibits a sponsor of a charter school from retaining any additional State Aid Allocation or charging the charter school any additional fee above the amounts allowed therein unless the additional fees are for additional services rendered. It requires the charter school sponsor to provide to the State Department of Education financial records documenting any state funds retained by the sponsor for administrative services rendered for the previous year.
            Update: Passed the House Appropriations and Budget Committee 22-3 with title stricken
on Wednesday, February 19. Passed off the House Floor 82-15 on Wednesday, March 11.

House Bill 3640 (Representative Cyndi Munson and Senator Darrell Weaver) Requires the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training to offer instruction on how to alert a school district or a charter school about the presence of a minor child or a child who has reached 18 years of age and continues to be enrolled in high school if that child has been identified at the scene of a traumatic event or an event involving a response from an emergency 911 service. The bill only allows the peace officer to release the student’s name directly to the school district or charter school and state that the child was present at the scene of a traumatic event.
Update: Passed the House Public Safety Committee 12-1 on Thursday, February 20. Passed off the House Floor 88-2 on Wednesday, March 11.


Common Education

Senate Bill 1283 (Senator Gary Stanislawski and Representative Jadine Nollan) Requires all persons appointed to fill board of education or technology center school districts serve only until the next succeeding election, at which time the office which they hold shall be placed on the ballot for the balance of the unexpired term. It removes the limitation that only those vacancies filled in the first half of the term be placed on the ballot for the balance of the unexpired term.
Update: Passed Senate Rules Committee 9-0 on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the Senate Floor 47-0 on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to the House.

House Bill 3389 (Representative Rhonda Baker and Senator Brenda Stanley) Requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Regents for Higher Education and the State Board of Career and Technology Education, to conduct a study and make recommendations to the Legislature regarding possible changes to the units or sets of competencies required for students to graduate with a standard diploma. It states the purpose of the study. The bill establishes requirements for the study. The bill requires the board to submit any recommendations prior to the start of the 2021 Legislative Session and may continue the study and to make recommendations thereafter as needed.
            Update: Passed the House Common Education Committee 15-2 on Tuesday, February
11. Passed off the House Floor 94-2 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3398 (Representative Jadine Nollan and Senator Dewayne Pemberton) Requires any person employed by an Oklahoma school district prior to the effective date of this act who does not have an Oklahoma criminal history record check from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation as well as a national criminal history record check on file with his or her employing district as required have until July 1, 2022, to complete the criminal history record checks. It exempts any person eligible to retire from the Teachers' Retirement System of Oklahoma.
Update: Passed the House Common Education Committee 16-0 on Tuesday, February 18. Passed off the House Floor 91-0 on Wednesday, March 4. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3400 (Representative Rhonda Baker and Senator Gary Stanislawski) Requires all public high schools, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, to make a minimum of four Advanced Placement courses available to students. It provides options for access. It requires the State Department of Education to provide information to all local boards of education, to be distributed to their students and parents, on available opportunities and the enrollment process for students to take Advanced Placement courses. It requires the Department to retain records of which options local boards of education selected for their students and make the information available on the Department's website.
Update: Passed the House Common Education Committee as amended by committee substitute 15-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Passed of the House Floor 81-7 on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3908 (Representative Mark Vancuren) Modifies curriculum required for graduation with a standard diploma.
            Update: Laid over in the House Business and Commerce Committee on Wednesday,
February 19. Passed House Business and Commerce Committee 13-2 on Wednesday, February 26. Failed to meet deadline.


Concurrent Enrollment

House Bill 3255 (Representative Jadine Nollan and Senator Gary Stanislawski) Changes the waiver amounts that high school students concurrently enrolled in college courses are entitled to receive. Instead of receiving a tuition waiver for the actual amount of resident tuition, a high school student would receive the lesser of:  1) the actual amount of resident tuition for the credit hours enrolled, or 2) the average amount of resident tuition of all the community junior colleges in the state.
Update: Passed the House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee as amended by committee substitute 9-3 on Tuesday, February 18. Passed off the House Floor 69-30 on Tuesday, March 10. Engrossed to the Senate.


FAFSA

Senate Bill 1120 (Senator Dewayne Pemberton and Representative Jadine Nollan) Creates a task force to study a requirement for high school students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Update: Passed the Senate Education Committee 11-1 on Tuesday, February 18. Passed off Senate Floor 35-10 on Monday, February 24. Engrossed to the House.


Healthcare

Senate Bill 1201 (Senator Greg McCortney and Representative Marcus McEntire) Requires all health care entities to report data to the statewide health information exchange and to utilize the system.
            Update: Passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee 10-0 on Monday,
February 10. Passed off the Senate Floor 44-1 on Wednesday, March 3. Engrossed to the
House.

Senate Bill 1276 (Senator Roger Thompson and Representative Kevin Wallace) Increases from not less than 50 percent to not less than 75 percent of the subsidy for residency programs provided by the Physician Manpower Training Commission be used in the training of primary health care and family practice physicians for the rural and medically underserved areas of the state.
            Update: Passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee 9-0 on Monday,
February 10. Passed the Senate Appropriations Committee 20-0 with title stricken on
Wednesday, February 12. Passed off the Senate Floor 44-1 with title restored on Monday, March 2. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1290 (Senator Darrell Weaver and Representative Cynthia Roe) Modifies the definition of Medical Care Provider as it relates to assault and batters to include: laboratory technicians, radiologic technologists, physical therapists, physician assistants, chaplains, volunteers, pharmacists, nursing students, medical students and any other employees of a healthcare facility.
           Update: Passed the Senate Public Safety Committee 11-1 on Monday, February 10.
Passed the Senate Appropriations Committee 20-0 with title stricken on Wednesday,
February 12. Passed off the Senate Floor 43-4 with title restored on Thursday, March 5. Engrossed to the House.

House Bill 2870 (Representative Lundy Kiger and Senator Lonnie Paxton) Creates the Small Oklahoma Hospital Survival Act, which guarantees a minimum reimbursement rate between health care insurers and small Oklahoma hospitals of at least 150 percent of the published Medicare reimbursement rate of 100 percent of the prevailing market rate for test, procedures and similar services paid to urban hospitals, and if the prevailing market rate is disputed, then it will be defined as 165 percent of the published Medicare reimbursement rate. The bill states payment for services rendered by a small Oklahoma hospital pursuant to prior authorization cannot be denied by an insurance company for any reason.
            Update: Withdrawn from the House Insurance Committee. Re-assigned to the House
Rules Committee. Passed House Rules Committee by unanimous consent on Thursday, February 27. Representative David Perryman removed as House author and substituted with Representative Lundy Kiger. Passed off the House Floor 94-0 on Wednesday, March 11.


Higher Education

Senate Bill 1181 (Senator Gary Stanislawski and Representative Chad Caldwell) Adds exemptions to the definition of private vocational school which include: a school that “offers only a degree(s) and has and maintains proper approval by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education,” and “an entity that is based outside of Oklahoma, maintains regional or national accreditation by an accrediting organization approved by the U.S. Department of Education, does not offer degrees and provides all of its training through mechanism(s) of distance education.”
Update: Passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0 on Tuesday, February 11. Passed off the Senate Floor 43-1 on Wednesday. February 25. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1182 (Senator Gary Stanislawski and Representative Chad Caldwell) Authorizes the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools to promulgate rules to maintain student records and professional license and occupational certifications.
Update: Passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0 on Tuesday, February 11. Passed off the Senate Floor 44-0 on Wednesday, March 3. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1379 (Senator Frank Simpson and Representative Tommy Hardin) Modifies eligibility for in-state status for students who were discharged or released from a period of not fewer than 90 days of active duty uniformed services less than 15 years before the date of enrollment in the course concerned.
            Update: Assigned to the Senate Education Committee then to the Senate Appropriations.
Committee. Passed the Senate Education Committee 13-0 with title stricken on Tuesday, February 18. Passed Senate Appropriations 18-0, with title stricken on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the Senate Floor 45-0 on Wednesday, March 11. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1453 (Senator John Haste and Representative Jadine Nollan) Creates a task force to study and make recommendations regarding the current and future concurrent enrollment needs of the state and pathways for awarding degrees and certificates through concurrent enrollment.
            Update: Assigned to the Senate Education Committee then to the Senate Appropriations
Committee. Passed Senate Education Committee 13-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Passed the Senate Appropriations Committee 16-3 on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the Senate Floor 45-0 on Thursday, March 5. Engrossed to House.

Senate Bill 1752 (Senator James Leewright and Representative Josh West) Modifies the purpose of the Oklahoma Viticulture and Enology Center Development Revolving Fund to include supporting viticulture programs and research at universities and colleges.
            Update: Passed the Senate Appropriations and Budget Natural Resources and Regulatory
Services Subcommittee 7-0 on Wednesday, February 12. Passed the Senate Appropriations Committee 14-0 with title stricken on Wednesday, February 19.  Passed off the Senate Floor 40-6 on Wednesday, March 4. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1835 (Senator Kay Floyd and Representative Mike Osburn) Requires continued education credits for licensed behavioral practitioners earned from courses on empirically validated procedures be taught by instructors certified by the Chair of the Department of Psychology of the University of Central Oklahoma, rather than the North American Association of Masters in Psychology, its designees or successors.
Update: Passed Senate Health and Human Services Committee 12-0 on Monday, February 24.  Emergency added. Passed off Senate Floor 46-0 on Thursday, March 5. Engrossed to the House.

House Bill 1907 (Representative Nicole Miller and Senator Stephanie Bice) Requires all institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education to grant priority enrollment and course registration to students who are active members of the military and to students who are eligible to receive educational financial assistance from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (Carryover bill)
Update: Passed the House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee as amended by committee substitute 13-0 on Tuesday, February 18. Passed off the House Floor 83-0 on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 2922 (Representative Melissa Provenzano and Senator Michael Montgomery) Creates the Oklahoma Student Borrower’s Bill of Rights Act, directing the Attorney General to prepare a written statement for student loan borrowers listing their rights.
Update: Passed House Banking, Financial Services, and Pensions Committee 7-3 on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the House Floor 84-8 on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 2970 (Representative Josh West and Senator James Leewright) Removes the requirement that money accruing to the Oklahoma Viticulture and Enology Center Development Revolving Fund for the benefit of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry be used to establish a Viticulture and Enology Center on the campus of Redlands Community College.
            Update: Passed the House Appropriations and Budget Natural Resources and Regulatory
Services Subcommittee 7-0 on Monday, February 10. Passed the House Appropriations and Budget Committee 28-0 on Wednesday, February 19. Passed off the House Floor 92-1 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3188 (Representative Tommy Hardin and Senator David Bullard) Creates the Cooperative Extension Revolving Fund for the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. It requires money in the fund to be expended by the Department for the purpose of supporting Cooperative Extension Service offices.
Update: Passed the House Appropriations and Budget Natural Resources and Regulatory Services Subcommittee 6-1 on Monday, February 10. Passed House Appropriations and Budget Committee 17-8, with title stricken on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the House Floor 70-23 on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3223 (Representative Jon Echols and Senator Darrell Weaver) Allows school, colleges and designated people to retain tissue from bodies distributed to them and to donate the tissue to a person or entity with the purpose of training a dog to search for human remains.
Update: Passed the House Public Safety Committee 12-0 on Thursday, February 13. Passed off the House Floor 96-1 on Wednesday, March 11. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3255 (Representative Jadine Nollan and Senator Gary Stanislawski) Changes the waiver amounts that high school students concurrently enrolled in college courses are entitled to receive. Instead of receiving a tuition waiver for the amount of resident tuition, a high school student would receive the lesser of:  The actual amount of resident tuition for the credit hours enrolled, or the average amount of resident tuition of all the community junior colleges in the state.
Update: Passed the House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee as amended by committee substitute 9-3 on Tuesday, February 18. Passed off the House Floor 69-30 with title stricken on Tuesday, March 10. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3347 (Representative Mickey Dollens) Prohibits an institution within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education or a private educational institution from upholding any rule, requirement, standard or other limitation that prevents a student of that institution who is participating in intercollegiate athletics from earning compensation as a result of the use of the student’s name, image or likeness. It requires earning compensation from the use of a student’s name, image or likeness to not affect the student’s scholarship eligibility.
Update: Passed the House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee 13-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Failed to meet deadline.

House Bill 3454 (Representative Todd Russ and Senator Brenda Stanley) Creates the Oklahoma Sex Trafficking Prevention Act authorizes a school district board of education to adopt a policy regarding sex trafficking and exploitation prevention and education programs for students. The measure provides that the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are to allow nonprofit organizations that specialize in outreach and education programs on sex trafficking and exploitation to present a series of in-depth prevention and education programs regarding sex trafficking and exploitation to all freshmen students.
Update: Passed House Children Youth and Family Services 14-1 on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the House Floor 69-25 on Thursday, March 5. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 4026 (Speaker Charles McCall and Senator Frank Simpson) Creates the Higher Education Institution Local Funding Act. It allows any eligible two-year institution within the state to establish a career technology district, with the purpose of allowing the two-year institution to generate additional sources of local revenue, and provides the procedure for doing so.
Update: Passed the House Rules Committee 7-0 as amended by committee substitute on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the House Floor 80-15 on Wednesday, March 11. Engrossed to the Senate.


Industrial Hemp

Senate Bill 1528 (Senator Lonnie Paxton and Representative Dell Kerbs) Amends the Oklahoma Industrial Hemp Program. It removes language that requires approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the Oklahoma Industrial Hemp Program to engage in the growth, cultivation, handling or processing of industrial hemp.
Update: Passed the Senate Agriculture and Wildlife Committee 11-0 with title stricken on Monday, February 17. Passed off the Senate Floor 42-0 on Tuesday, March 10. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1734 (Senator Rob Standridge and Representative Scott Fetgatter) Modifies the exemption from definition of the term "marijuana" for industrial hemp.
Update: Passed the Senate Public Safety Committee 7-2 on Monday, February 17. Failed to meet deadline.

Senate Bill 1783 (Senator Lonnie Paxton and Representative Dell Kerbs) Modifies the definition of industrial hemp as used in the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act. It requires industrial hemp to be grown pursuant to the Oklahoma Industrial Hemp Program and allows it to be shipped intrastate and interstate.
Update: Passed the Senate Agriculture and Wildlife Committee 11-0 on Monday,
February 17. Passed off the Senate Floor 46-0 on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to the House.

House Bill 3786 (Representative Scott Fetgatter and Senator Roland Pederson) Amends the Oklahoma Industrial Hemp Program. It removes language that requires approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the Oklahoma Industrial Hemp Program to engage in the growth, cultivation, handling or processing of industrial hemp.
Update: Passed House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee 18-0 on Monday, February 24. Passed off the House Floor 91-0 on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to the Senate.


OneNet/Information Technology

House Bill 4018 (Speaker Charles McCall and Senator James Leewright) Creates the Rural Broadband Expansion Council, which is directed to conduct a study of rural broadband access in Oklahoma. The study will divide the state into separate geographic areas based on existing broadband capability, cost of service, estimated costs for improving access, likelihood of changes in access in the future, and other information as deemed relevant by the council. The council is further directed to use the geographic areas it establishes to develop policy recommendations conducive to establishing or improving rural broadband access.
Update: Passed House Rules Committee 7-0 with emergency added on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the House Floor 94-2 on Wednesday, March 11. Engrossed to the Senate.

Senate Bill 1898 (Senator Stephanie Bice and Representative Mike Osburn) Removes the requirement that the Chief Information Officer also serve as Secretary of Information Technology and Telecommunications. It also removes the salary requirement and the position’s employment qualifications.
Update: Passed the Senate Finance Committee 6-1 with title stricken on Tuesday, February 18. Referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Passed the Senate Appropriations Committee 16-4 with title stricken on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the Senate Floor 35-12 with title restored on Wednesday, March 11.  Engrossed to House.


Public Safety/Campus Safety/Weapons

Senate Joint Resolution 16 (Senator David Bullard and Representative Kevin West) Puts to a vote of the people a Constitutional amendment that would prevent infringement of the right of citizens to keep and bear arms. The amendment would not prevent the Legislature from prohibiting possession of firearms by a convicted felon, a person adjudicated as mentally incompetent or an individual involuntarily committed in any mental institution. (Carryover bill)
            Update: Passed the Senate Rules Committee 7-2 on Wednesday, February 26.

Senate Bill 781 (Senator Paul Scott and Senator Jay Steagall) Prohibits any person or business entity from establishing or enforcing and policy or rule that has the effect of prohibiting any person or employee, except a convicted felon, from carrying or storing firearms or ammunition in a motor vehicle owned, leased or rented by the person or employee while conducting business for the business entity. (Carryover bill)
Update: Passed off the Senate Floor 36-7 on Thursday, March 12. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1081 (Senator Nathan Dahm and Representative Jon Echols) Creates an Anti-Red flag Act to preemptively void any federal Red Flag law that would seek to limit gun ownership.
Update: Passed Senate Judiciary Committee 8-2 as amended by committee substitute on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the Senate Floor 34-9 on Thursday, March 12.

Senate Bill 1399 (Senator Gary Stanislawski and Representative Carl Newton) Authorizes individuals with a valid handgun license issued under the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act to enter the State Capitol building with a handgun.
Update: Passed Senate Education Committ.ee 12-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the Senate Floor 45-0 on Tuesday, March 9. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1610 (Senator Wayne Shaw and Representative Harold Wright) Modifies the completed application procedure specified therein under the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act.
Update: Passed Senate Public Safety Committee 10-1 with title stricken, on Monday, February 24. Passed off the Senate Floor 44-0 on Wednesday, March 11. Engrossed to the House.

House Bill 2336 (Representative Sean Roberts and Senator David Bullard) Allows a board of education of a school district to adopt a policy authorizing persons possessing a valid handgun license to carry a handgun onto school property. (Carryover bill)
Update: Passed off the Senate Floor 37-7 on Wednesday, February 12. Referred for engrossment. Senate amendments received.

House Bill 2546 (Representative Sean Roberts and Senator Julie Daniels) Brings multiple gun laws under a single title, The Oklahoma Self Defense act of 2020. (Carryover)
Update: Passed House Public Safety Committee as amended by committee substitute 10-0 on Thursday, February 27. Passed off the House Floor 77-20 on Wednesday, March 11. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 2547 (Representative Sean Roberts and Senator Micheal Bergstrom) Allows municipalities, by ordinance, to authorize all or certain municipal employees to carry concealed firearms. The employee must have been issued a valid handgun license pursuant to the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act. The measure provides immunity to civil and criminal liability to the employee. The measure prohibits carrying in firearm-prohibited locations and defines such location. (Carryover)
Update: Passed House Public Safety Committee as amended by committee substitute 11-0 on Thursday, February 27. Passed off the House Floor 77-21 on Wednesday, March 11.

House Bill 2901 (Representative Justin Humphrey) Declares that certain federal acts, laws, executive orders, administrative orders, court orders, rules and regulations ordering the confiscation of firearms, firearm accessories or ammunition shall be considered infringements on the rights of citizens to keep and bear arms. The measure provides that it is the duty of the courts and law enforcement agencies to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms. The measure prohibits any reduction of funding to a county sheriff’s office or municipal police department for refusing to obey an order which violates the Second Amendment or for making a county or municipality a Second Amendment sanctuary county or municipality.
Update: Assigned to the House Judiciary Committee. Reassigned to the House Public
Safety Committee. Laid over in House Public Safety Committee on Thursday, February 20. Passed House Public Safety Committee as amended by committee substitute 11-1 on Thursday, February 27. Failed to meet deadline.

House Bill 3010 (Representative Tom Gann) Removes references to a handgun license and brings consistency to the state’s firearm statues. The bill requires a person disclose they are in possession of a concealed or unconcealed firearm at the request of law enforcement. The bill describes how to safely carry a firearm in public.
            Update: Assigned to the House Rules Committee. Re-assigned to the House Public
Safety Committee. Passed the House Public Safety Committee 12-0 on Thursday,
February 20. Passed off the House Floor 76-16 on Wednesday, March 11.

House Bill 3036 (Representative Jim Olsen and Senator Chuck Hall) Allows any person who’s rights have been violated by any order, policy, ordinance or regulation promulgated or enforced by any person, municipality, agency or other political subdivision of this state which restricts the sale, purchase, purchase delay, transfer, ownership, use, keeping, possession, carrying, bearing, transportation, licensing, permit, registration, taxation other than sales and compensating use taxes, or other controls on firearms, knives, firearm and ammunition components, ammunition, and supplies may bring a civil action against the person, municipality, agency or political subdivision. A court may require the political subdivision to pay reasonable expenses to a person in an action under certain conditions.
Update: Passed House Public Safety Committee as amended by committee substitute 11-0 on Thursday, February 27. Representative Robert Manger removed as House author and substitutes with Representative Jim Olsen. Failed to meet deadline.

House Bill 3422 (Representative David Hardin and Senator Darrell Weaver) Allows the carrying or possession of a concealed handgun in the State Capitol Building or any structure, building or office space that is owned or leased by the State of Oklahoma by a member of the Oklahoma Legislature and a state county or municipal peace officer who is retired and is authorized to carry a firearm. The measure allows any person in possession of a valid handgun license issued pursuant to the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act, is authorized to proceed through the security checkpoint when entering the State Capitol Building upon presentation of the valid handgun license. A peace officer or security officer may not remove or inspect any weapon or restrain any person carrying a properly concealed loaded or unloaded handgun without probable cause that a crime has been committed.
Update: Passed House Public Safety Committee as amended by committee substitute 11-1 on Thursday, February 27. Representative Danny Sterling removed as House author and substitutes with Representative David Hardin. Failed to meet deadline.


Scholarships/ Oklahoma’s Promise

House Bill 2927 (Representative Chelsey Branham and Senator Paul Rosino) Permits the Department of Human Services to issue administrative power of attorney to a qualified youth services agency for the care and custody of a child though the administrative power of attorney does not extend to the power to consent to marriage or adoption of the child, performance or inducement of an abortion on or for the child or termination of the parental rights of the child. Qualifies these children for Oklahoma’s Promise.
            Update: Assigned to the House Judiciary Committee. Passed the House Judiciary
Committee on Tuesday, February 4 by a vote of 16-0. Passed off the House Floor 93-2 on
Thursday, February 13. Engrossed to the Senate.


Special Education

Senate Bill 1436 (Senator Gary Stanislawski and Representative Nicole Miller) Creates a comprehensive special education subject area certification. The bill requires the State Board of Education to issue a two-year provisional certificate in the area of severe-profound disabilities to any individual who has obtained a standard certificate in the area of mild-moderate disabilities; been recommended for a certificate in the area of severe-profound disabilities by a school district board of education; and submitted an application and payment of the required certification fee.
            Update: Assigned to Senate Education Committee and then to the Senate Appropriations
Committee. Laid over in the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, February 18. Passed Senate Appropriations 16-0, with title stricken on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the Senate Floor 43-0 on Tuesday, March 10. Engrossed to the House.


Teacher Certification/Education

Senate Bill 1115 (Senator Ron Sharp and Representative Danny Sterling) Allows an employing board of education to renew an emergency or provisional certificate.
Update: Passed Senate Education Committee 11-3 with title stricken on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the Senate Floor 36-11 on Tuesday, March 10. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1125 (Senator Adam Pugh and Speaker Charles McCall) Allows out-of-state teaching certificates to qualify a person for an Oklahoma teaching certificate. These certified teachers do not have to take competency exam.
Update: Passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0 on Tuesday, February 11. Passed off the Senate Floor 46-0 on Wednesday, March 11. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1127 (Senator Rob Standridge and Representative Toni Hasenbeck) Created the Teacher Retention Act of 2020, which would provide an annual bonus to a teacher who has National Board Certification and is teaching in the classroom full-time in an Oklahoma public school; received a district evaluation rating of "superior" under the Oklahoma Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Evaluation System during the previous school year; has been appointed as a mentor teacher; and has been recommended for a bonus by the school principal.
Update: Assigned to the Senate Education Committee then to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Laid over in the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, February 11. Passed the Senate Education Committee 11-3 with title stricken on Tuesday, February 18. Passed Senate Appropriations Committee 15-5 on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the Senate Floor 36-10 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1128 (Senator Frank Simpson and Speaker Charles McCall) Allows the State Board of Education to grant an exception to the requirements for all certification examinations for teacher candidates who are deaf.
Update: Passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0 on Tuesday, February 11. Passed off the Senate Floor 31-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1168 (Senator Gary Stanislawski and Representative Toni Hasenbeck) Establishes a microcredential program for STEM subjects for any teachers who have a teaching certificate or other teaching credentials.
Update: Passed the Senate Education Committee 14-0 on Tuesday, February 11. Passed off the Senate Floor 43-0 on Wednesday, February 26. Engrossed to the House.

Senate Bill 1337 (Senator Brenda Stanley and Representative Rhonda Baker) Requires that a teacher whose certificate was suspended by the State Board of Education under circumstances specified therein to remain employed by the school district while proceedings for revocation or other action are pending before the State Board of Education.
Update: Passed Senate Education Committee 12-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the Senate Floor 46-0 on Thursday, March 12.

House Bill 2923 (Representative Melissa Provenzano and Senator Carri Hicks) Gives teachers who graduate from accredited or approved teacher education programs after Nov. 1, 2020, a credit for one year of teaching experience in the minimum salary schedule.
Update: Passed the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education 11-0 on Monday, February 17. Passed House Appropriations and Budget Committee, 26-0 with title stricken on Tuesday February 25. Passed off the House Floor 92-0 on Monday, March 9.  Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3142 (Representative Melissa Provenzano and Senator Dewayne Pemberton) Exempts those with a master’s degree in education from having to complete an education administration program as part of the requirements for a school principal position.
            Update: Passed the House Common Education Committee 14-0 on Tuesday, February
11. Passed off the House Floor 97-0 on Monday, March 2. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3143 (Representative Melissa Provenzano and Senator John Haste) Creates the Teacher Mandatory Professional Development Reduction Act, which standardizes professional development and continuing education schedules for teachers.
Update: Passed House Common Education Committee 16-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the House Floor 75-9 on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3210 (Representative Mark Lepak) Allows the State Board of Education to issue exceptions to the standard or traditional teaching certificate, which may include provisional, alternative or transitional certifications provided that prior to the issuance of the certificate the district documents substantial efforts to employ a teacher who holds a traditional or standard certificate. The bill requires the State Department of Education to document and annually report to the State Board of Education the different types of teacher certificates annually issued.
Update: Passed House Common Education Committee 16-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Failed to meet deadline.

House Bill 3257 (Representative Jadine Nollan and Senator J.J. Dossett) Defines instructional expenditures as expenditures for instruction and instructional staff support services, including those that directly relate to providing instruction and for activities that assist with classroom instruction. The bill includes salaries and benefits for teachers, teaching assistants, librarians, library aids and in-service teacher trainers, curriculum development, student assessments, technology for students, supplies and purchased services as related to expenditures referenced elsewhere in the act as instructional expenditures.
            Update: Laid over in the House Common Education Committee on Tuesday, February
11. Passed the House Common Education Committee 15-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the House Floor 90-0 on Tuesday, March 10. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3320 (Representative Sherrie Conley and Senator Chris Kidd) Requires teacher candidates in early childhood, elementary, and special education to study dyslexia characteristics in students and classroom instruction techniques. It requires the program to provide for training that includes, but is not limited to, methods to identify potential manifestations and issues associated with dyslexia in students in order to recognize, meet or both recognize and meet the needs of students with dyslexia.
Update: Laid over in the House Common Education Committee on Tuesday, February 18. Re-assigned to the House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee. Passed House Higher Education and CareerTech committee 15-0 on Tuesday, February 25.  Passed off the House Floor 90-0 on Tuesday, March 9. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3326 (Representative Sherrie Conley and Senator Chris Kidd) Requires teacher candidates for the preservice program approved by the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to study the cognitive science of reading and evidence-based instructional practices.
Update: Passed the House Higher Education and CareerTech Committee 11-1 on Tuesday February, 18. Passed off the House Floor 88-0 on Tuesday, March 9. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3379 (Representative Nicole Miller and Senator Dewayne Pemberton) Modifies requirements for an alternative teaching certificate. It removes the clock hours component of professional development and requires that it come from an institution of higher education program whose accreditation is recognized by the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability. It requires the professional education coursework include at least one college credit course addressing pedagogical principles and at least one college credit course addressing classroom management.
Update: Passed House Common Education Committee 15-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the House Floor 92-3 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3382 (Representative John Waldron and Senator John Montgomery) Creates the Oklahoma Teacher Loan Repayment Program, which will be in effect from the 2020-2021 school year through the 2025-2026 school year. It requires the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to administer the program. It requires the program, dependent upon funding, to provide educational loan repayment awards to individuals that meet the specified requirements. It limits the amount of the award to no more than $4,000. It permits the State Regents to accept donations of public or private funds to assist in funding the program. It permits the State Regents to contract with other public entities and nonprofit corporations for the endowment, management and administration of such funds. It creates the Oklahoma Teacher Loan Repayment Revolving Fund.
Update: Passed the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education 11-0 on Monday, February 17. Passed House Appropriations and Budget Committee 25-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the House Floor 83-9 with title stricken on Monday, March 9. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3434 (Representative Rhonda Baker and Senator Brenda Stanley) Allows the State Board of Education to issue a one-year alternative teacher certificate, renewable for up to three years, to teach early childhood education or elementary education to any qualified candidate and establishes qualifications.
Update: Passed the House Common Education Committee 15-0 on Tuesday, February 18. Passed off the House Floor 92-3 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3736 (Representative John Waldron) Requires each student participating in the teacher internship program be awarded a one-time stipend of $4,000.
Update: Passed the House Appropriations and Budget Committee 11-0 on Monday, February 17. Failed to meet deadline.

House Bill 3744 (Representative John Waldron) Requires any person acting as a teacher or educational consultant to hold a valid teaching certificate issued by and in accordance with the rules of the State Board of Education.
Update: Passed the House Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee 11-0 on Monday, February 17. Failed to meet deadline.

House Bill 3769 (Representative John Waldron) Requires an individual conducting an evaluation of a teacher be an administrator employed at the same school as the teacher.
Update: Passed the House Common Education Committee 9-7 on Tuesday, February 18. Failed to meet deadline.

House Bill 3805 (Representative Toni Hasenbeck and Senator Adam Pugh) Creates the Advanced Roles for Teachers and School Leaders Act, which establishes a three-year pilot program for advanced teaching roles and organization models in Oklahoma schools. The purpose of the program is to support advanced roles for teachers who wish to stay in the classroom, recognize teachers who demonstrate advanced roles in the classroom through increased compensation, provide personalized professional development, increase recruitment and retention of teachers, allow principals to expand leadership capabilities, and support improved student outcomes. The bill establishes the program’s standards and requirements.
Update: Passed the House Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee 10-0 on Monday, February 17. Passed House Appropriations and budget committee 26-0, with title stricken on Tuesday, February 25.  Passed off the House Floor 90-1 on Wednesday, March 4. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3966 (Representative Mark McBride and Senator Brenda Stanley) Authorizes the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (OEQA) and the State Board of Education to establish the Education Leadership Oklahoma program. It requires the OEQA to select not more than 300 applicants to participate in the renewal program each fiscal year for which the OEQA will pay a portion of the fee for National Board certification renewal. It requires the total amount paid by the OEQA to not exceed $1,000 per applicant.
            Update: Passed the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education 11-0
on Tuesday, February 11. Passed House Appropriations and Budget Committee 29-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the House Floor 97-1 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the Senate.


Retirement Systems

Senate Bill 1445 (Senator Brenda Stanley and Representative Jadine Nollan) Requires, for a period of three years beginning July 1, 2020, Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System members who have retired as of July 1, 2019, who have been retired and receiving a benefit for at least one year, and who have not been employed by any public school during that one-year period, be eligible to be reemployed as an active classroom teacher in common or career tech school districts, with no limitations on earnings.
Update: Passed the Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee 8-0 title stricken, on Monday, February 24. Passed off the Senate Floor 39-8 on Thursday, March 12.

House Bill 1307 (Representative Matt Meredith and Senator Dewayne Pemberton) Allows college and university law enforcement officers to become members of the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System (OLERS) under specified conditions on or after November 1, 2020. It requires that for university and college law enforcement officers, the employee contribution rate will be 8 percent of compensation, whereas the employer contribution rate will be 11.2 percent. (Carryover bill)
Update: Passed the House Banking, Financial Services and Pensions Committee 10-0 on Wednesday, February 26. Failed to meet deadline.

House Bill 3330 (Representative David Perryman and Senator Lonnie Paxton) Requires that if an injury to a member of a public retirement system results from a violent act as defined therein while in the performance of their duties as a police officer, the State Board will make a determination that the member has sustained a one-hundred-percent disability and shall make the benefit award in accordance with that standard.
Update: Passed the House Banking, Financial Services, and Pensions Committee 10-1 on Wednesday, February 19. Passed off the House Floor 94-0 on Thursday, March 5. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3350 (Representative Avery Frix and Senator Dewayne Pemberton)  Authorizes a cost of living adjustment (COLA) between two and four percent for retirees of the following pension systems: Teachers' Retirement System of Oklahoma; Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System; Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System; Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System; Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System; and Uniform Retirement System for Justices and Judges.
Update: Passed House Rules Committee as amended by committee substitute 8-0 on Thursday, February 27. Rules suspended to direct to the calendar. Passed off the House Floor 99-0 on Tuesday, March 10. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3599 (Representative Dustin Roberts and Senator David Bullard) Requires no additional contribution by the member of the Teachers Retirement System or their employer will be required or allowed because of any other nonfederal source of funds.
Update: Passed House Rules Committee 7-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the House Floor 79-1 on Tuesday, March 10. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 4029 (Speaker Charles McCall and Senator Adam Pugh) Modifies post-retirement earnings limitations for members of the Oklahoma Teachers’ Retirement System. It provides that the statutory minimum salary schedule for teachers is not applicable to teachers who have retired the Teachers' Retirement System of Oklahoma. It modifies the safe harbor clause therein, allowing amendments related to the minimum salary schedule to be treated as nonfiscal changes.
Update: Passed the House Rules Committee 8-0 as amended by committee substitute on Tuesday, February 11. Passed off the House Floor 95-0 on Wednesday, March 11.


Workforce Development

Senate Bill 1891 (Senator Adam Pugh and Representative Kevin Wallace) Creates the Universal Occupational License Recognition Act. It requires an occupational license or certificate be issued, in the discipline applied for and at the same practice level as determined by the regulating entity, to a person who establishes residency in this state or is married to an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States and who is accompanying the member to an official permanent change of station to a military installation located in this state when certain criteria are met.
            Update: Assigned to the Senate Business Commerce and Tourism Committee then to the
Senate Appropriations Committee. Passed the Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee 7-1 on Thursday, February 20. Passed Senate Appropriations 14-4, with title stricken on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the Senate Floor 36-9 as amended by Floor substitute on Wednesday, March 11. Engrossed to the House.

House Bill 3096 (Representative Zack Taylor and Senator Adam Pugh) Defines the state average unemployment rate as the average of the three months of the most recent third calendar year quarter or the seasonally adjusted unemployment rates as published by the state department or agency responsible for collecting and publishing unemployment rate data.
Update: Laid over in the House Business and Commerce Committee on Wednesday, February 19. Passed House Business and Commerce on Wednesday, February 26. Passed off the House floor 63-34, with title stricken on Wednesday, March 11. Engrossed to Senate.

House Bill 3112 (Representative Brian Hill) Awards a tax credit to employees with certain degrees from programs that have been accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology engineering in the field of electronics, physics, solar energy, chemistry or related fields of study.
            Update: Assigned to House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Finance. Laid
over in the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Finance on Monday, February 10. Passed the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Finance 7-0 on Thursday, February 13. Failed to meet deadline.

House Bill 3192 (Representative John Pfeiffer and Senator Chuck Hall) Modifies the income tax credit with respect to certain software or cybersecurity employees. It removes engineering or software engineering from the definition of the term “accredited program” and replaces it with computer engineering. The bill removes language that permits qualified employers to participate in the Oklahoma Quality Jobs Program Act, the Small Employer Quality Jobs Incentive Act, and the 21st Century Quality Jobs Incentive Act.
            Update: Passed the House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Finance 7-0 on
Thursday, February 13. Passed House Appropriations and Budget 25-1, with title stricken on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the House Floor 80-14 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the Senate.

House Bill 3887 (Representative Kevin Wallace and Senator James Leewright) Creates the Oklahoma Remote Quality Jobs Incentive Act. It establishes Legislative intent that the State provide appropriate incentives to attract growth industries and sectors that employ remote workers to Oklahoma through a policy of rewarding businesses with a highly skilled, knowledge-based workforce. The bill allows a proxy establishment that facilitates the attraction of remote workers and allows for quarterly incentive payments for a ten-quarter period to be made to the establishment. It establishes the Oklahoma Remote Quality Jobs Incentive Payment Fund and allows the Oklahoma Tax Commission to withhold a portion of taxes levied and collected to be deposited into the fund.
Update: Passed House Appropriations and Budget Committee 26-0 on Tuesday, February 25. Passed off the House Floor 91-1 on Tuesday, March 3. Engrossed to the Senate. Engrossed to the Senate.

Thank you.

Glen

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>
follow us on Twitter @okhighered


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