[Oasfaa] State Legislative Update as of 3/27/23

[Fair, Bryce]

Following is an update on bills after the legislative deadline last Thursday (3/23) for passage of bills on the floor of their house of origin.
The next legislative deadline is April 13 for bills that are still alive to be passed in committee in the opposite house.

Bills that passed the floor since the last legislative update:

  *   HB 2718 - Oklahoma Promise Opportunity Scholarship
  *   HB 1443 - Oklahoma Student Borrowers Bill of Rights
  *   SB 529 - Oklahoma Teacher Corps Program

Bills that were not heard on the floor by the 3/23 deadline and will be removed from the list:

  *   HB 2772 - Oklahoma's Promise
  *   HB 2773 - waiver of tuition, fees, room & board for wrongfully incarcerated persons


FAFSA
SB 93 (Sen. Dave Rader and Rep. Anthony Moore): Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, requires students to complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to graduate from a public high school accredited by the State Board of Education. It provides exemptions authorizing parents to opt the student out of the requirement. The bill requires the State Department of Education to develop and publish materials for students, parents, and legal guardians explaining the requirements to complete the FAFSA, the benefits to completing the FAFSA, the opt-out provisions and to provide an opt-out form to be used by school districts, charter schools, and virtual charter schools.
Status: Referred to Senate Education Committee; passed Senate Education Committee 2/21/23 (12 aye, 0 nay); passed Senate floor 3/9/23 (37 ayes, 8 nays); next to House
Current Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2023-24%20ENGR/SB/SB93%20ENGR.PDF


Oklahoma's Promise
HB 2718 (Rep. Ellyn Hefner and Sen. John Michael Montgomery): As amended in committee, the bill creates the Oklahoma Promise Opportunity Scholarship to provide a tuition scholarship for students with intellectual disabilities participating in comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs.  Defines eligibility and application process.
Status: Referred to House Appropriations and Budget Committee, Education Subcommittee; passed House Appropriations & Budget Subcommittee on Education 2/20/23 (11 aye, 0 nay); passed House Appropriations & Budget Committee, title stricken, 3/1/23 (37 aye, 0 nay); passed House floor 3/22/23 (89 aye, 0 nay)
Current Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2023-24%20ENGR/hB/HB2718%20ENGR.PDF

HB 2772 (Rep. Cyndi Munson and Sen. John Montgomery): Oklahoma's Promise.  Modifies the program requirement for refraining from substance abuse and commission of criminal or delinquent acts.  Deletes reference to refraining from substance abuse.   Specifies that students must refrain from the commission of violent crimes.
Status: Referred to House Appropriations and Budget Committee, Education Subcommittee; passed House Appropriations & Budget Subcommittee on Education 2/20/23 (9 aye, 3 nay); Passed House Appropriations & Budget Committee 3/1/23 (32 aye, 1 nay); not heard on House floor (bill now dormant).
Current Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2023-24%20FLR/HFLR/HB2772%20HFLR.PDF

SB 27 (Sen. Dewayne Pemberton and Rep. Ken Luttrell): Oklahoma's Promise. Allows completion of the "core" high school curriculum rather than the current required college preparatory high school curriculum for students seeking admission to a technology center school overseen by the State Board of Career and Technology Education.  Also specifies an equivalent SAT score to the required ACT score for homeschool students and students graduating from non-accredited high schools.
Status: Referred to Senate Education Committee and then to Senate Appropriations Committee; passed Senate Education Committee 2/7/23 (11 aye, 0 nay, title stricken); passed Senate Appropriations Committee 2/15/23 (21 aye, 0 nay); passed Senate floor 3/2/23 (47 aye, 0 nay); to House
Current Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2023-24%20ENGR/SB/SB27%20ENGR.PDF


Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG)
SB 11 (Sen. Dave Rader and Rep. Daniel Pae): Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant - OTAG. Authorizes persons incarcerated in a state, federal or private correctional facility to be eligible to receive an OTAG award.  Deletes the current prohibition.
Status: Referred to Senate Education Committee and then to Senate Appropriations Committee; passed Senate Education Committee 2/7/23 (11 aye, 1 nay, title stricken); passed Senate Appropriations Committee 2/15/23 (21 aye, 0 nay); passed Senate floor 2/28/23 (42 aye, 1 nay); to House
Current Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2023-24%20ENGR/SB/SB11%20ENGR.PDF

SB 322 (Sen. Ally Seifried and Rep. Mark McBride): Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant - OTAG. Makes comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs approved by the U.S. Department of Education for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities eligible to participate in the OTAG program.
Status: passed to Senate Education Committee 2/14/23 (12 aye, 0 nay); passed Senate floor 3/9/23 (45 aye, 1 nay); to House
Current Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2023-24%20ENGR/SB/SB322%20ENGR.PDF


Student Borrower Bill of Rights
HB 1443 (Rep. Melissa Provenzano and Sen. John Michael Montgomery): Amends the Oklahoma Student Borrowers Bill of Rights.  Clarifies that student loan servicers must inform student loan borrowers if their type of loan does not qualify for loan forgiveness programs.
Status: Passed House Committee on Banking, Financial Services and Pensions 2/22/23 (11 aye, 0 nay); next to House floor
Current Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2023-24%20ENGR/hB/HB1443%20ENGR.PDF


Teacher Scholarships
HB 2559 (Rep. Mark McBride and Sen. Dewayne Pemberton): Changes the name of the Oklahoma Future Teacher Scholarship and Employment Incentive Program to the "Inspired to Teach Program".  Allows students completing high school homeschool instruction or General Educational Development (GED) test requirements to be eligible to participate in the program.  Defines "full-time student".
Status: Referred to House Appropriations and Budget Committee, Education Subcommittee; passed House Appropriations & Budget Subcommittee on Education 2/13/23 (14 aye, 0 nay); passed full House Appropriations & Budget Committee 3/2/23 (31 aye, 0 nay); passed House floor 3/9/23 (91 aye, 0 nay); to Senate
Current Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2023-24%20ENGR/hB/HB2559%20ENGR.PDF

SB 529 (Sen. Adam Pugh and Rep Ronny Johns): Creates the Oklahoma Teacher Corps Program to be administered by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to help students who graduate from an approved teacher preparation degree program and agree to teach at a school meeting certain criteria for four years.  Establishes eligibility requirements and assistance amount.  Provides for repayment if participant fails to complete the full term of service.
Status:  Referred to Senate Education Committee and then to Senate Appropriations Committee; passed Senate Education Committee 2/14/23 (10 aye, 0 nay); passed Senate Appropriations Committee 2/22/23 (20 aye, 0 nay); passed Senate floor 3/14/23 (44 aye, 1 nay); to Senate
Current Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2023-24%20FLR/SFLR/SB529%20SFLR.PDF


Tuition and Fee Rates (State System Institutions)
HB 2663 (Rep. Josh West and Sen. Brenda Stanley):  Related to in-state status for resident tuition at a state system institution for any person currently serving in the U.S. military, their spouse or dependent children.  Deletes certain time period limitations.
Status:  Referred to House Rules Committee; withdrawn from Rules Committee and referred to House Veterans and Military Affairs Committee; passed House Veterans and Military Affairs Committee 2/21/23 (9 aye, 0 nay); passed House floor 3/8/23 (94 aye, 0 nay); to Senate
Current Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2023-24%20ENGR/hB/HB2663%20ENGR.PDF


Tuition, Fee, and Other Waivers (State System Institutions & Career Tech)
HB 2773 (Rep. Cyndi Munson): Requires that no state system institution or career technology school may charge tuition, fees, room and board to any wrongfully incarcerated person and their children; limited to 120 credit hours.
Status:  Referred to House Judiciary-Civil Committee; passed House Judiciary-Civil Committee 2/23/23 (9 aye, 0 nay); not heard on the House floor (bill now dormant).
Current Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2023-24%20FLR/HFLR/HB2773%20HFLR.PDF


SB 654 (Sen. Paul Rosino and Rep. Ty Burns): Creates the Captain Steven L. Farley Goldstar Families Act. Provides that the surviving spouse and children of a member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces killed in action or in the line of duty after September 11, 2001, shall be eligible for a waiver of undergraduate resident tuition at a State System institution or resident tuition at a technology center school operated under the State Board of Career and Technology Education.  Estabishes eligibility requirements.
Status: Referred to Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee and then to Senate Finance Committee; passed Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee 2/15/23 (11 aye, 0 nay); passed Senate Finance Committee 2.27/23 (12 aye, 0 nay); passed Senate floor 3/8/23 (48 aye, 0 nay); to House
Current Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2023-24%20ENGR/SB/SB654%20ENGR.PDF


Scholarships

HB 2318 (Rep. Mark McBride and Sen. Roger Thompson):  Extends the Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship tax credit to cover contributions made to eligible college and university foundations to fund scholarships for students attending state system institution.  Total credits for all taxpayers are not to exceed $25 million annually, and the tax credit amount is capped at $6 million per public higher education institution.
Status:  Referred to House Rules Committee; transferred to House Appropriations and Budget Committee; passed House Appropriations and Budget Committee 3/2/23 (32 aye, 0 nay); passed House floor 3/9/23 (90 aye, 3 nay); to Senate
Current Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2023-24%20ENGR/hB/HB2318%20ENGR.PDF

HB 2555 (Rep. Mark McBride and Sen. Roger Thompson):  Creates the Oklahoma Critical Industries Scholarship Program.  Authorizes a four-year pilot program.  Requires full-time enrollment at a state public higher education institution or state public technology center school.  Provides for identification of critical industry programs including computer science, engineering, and cybersecurity programs.  Directs state matching funds up to $15 million.
Status:  Referred to House Appropriations and Budget Committee, Education Subcommittee; passed House Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education 2/13/23 (14 aye, 0 nay); passed full House Appropriations and Budget Committee 3/2/23 (31 aye, 0 nay); passed House floor 3/9/23 (90 aye, 0 nay); to Senate
Current Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2023-24%20ENGR/hB/HB2555%20ENGR.PDF



Bryce Fair
Associate Vice Chancellor for Scholarships & Grants
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
Phone: 405-225-9162
Email: bfair at osrhe.edu

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