[Oasfaa] March 16: Legislative Update

[Beam, Colbi]

Good morning,

Both Chambers will be working today and tomorrow but will be off the rest of the week for Spring Break for the remainder of the week. Last week both the House and the Senate spent considerable time on the floor, and a large number of bills are now eligible to go to the opposite Chamber.

I have a bill list below my signature line that includes all of our tracked legislation as of the end of last week. Please remember that legislation can change quickly, be sure to check the current status of bills and read full language at http://www.oklegislature.gov/BasicSearchForm.aspx.

Don't forget that Higher Education & Oklahoma's Promise Day is at the Capitol on March 31st. Information has been shared with campus leadership, but if you have any questions on the day and schedule, please reach out.

Colbi Beam, Ph.D.

Associate Vice Chancellor for State Grants and Scholarships

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education



655 Research Parkway, Suite 200

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104

Cbeam at osrhe.edu<mailto:cbeam at osrhe.edu>

_____________________________________________________________

The update below reflects the major legislation concerning Higher Education.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Jarrett Jobe, Vice Chancellor for Governmental Relations, at jjobe at osrhe.edu<mailto:jjobe at osrhe.edu>.


Priority Legislation List
3/13/26
Concurrent Enrollment/Oklahomas Promise
HB2950 by Rep Gabe Woolley and Rep. Julie McIntosh: prohibits any postsecondary institution from requiring a homeschool graduate to meet higher standardized test score requirements than those required of graduates of public or private schools for purposes of general undergraduate admission
Update: Assigned to Postsecondary Education then Education Oversight Committee(s). Passed 7-2 on 2/10. Emergency Added. Passed Oversight 7-2 on 2/25. Passed off the House Floor 76-19 on 3/11.

Graduation Requirements
SB1477 by Sen. Ally Seifried and Rep. Chad Caldwell: Puts a cap of 21 years of age for students who are receiving high-school-level instruction at home to enroll in any course otherwise eligible high school student.
Update: Assigned to Education Committee(s). Title Stricken. Passed 10-0 on 2/10.

Healthcare/Higher Education
HB3793 by Rep. Chris Sneed and Sen. Randy Grellner: Creates the Oklahoma Nursing Modernization Act of 2026. Alowing diploma Nursing
Update: Assigned to Public Health then Health & Human Services Oversight Committee(s). Passed 4-2 on 2/18.

Higher Education
HB2398 by Rep. Brian Hill and Sen. Aaron Reinhardt: Defines Credentials of Value in statute.
Update: Assigned to Postsecondary Education then to Education Oversight Committee(s). Passed 8-1 on 2/17. Passed Oversight 7-1 on 3/4. Passed off the House Floor 70-20 on 3/10.

HB3132 by Rep. Kevin West and Sen. Randy Grellner: Creates the Selecting Neutral Accreditors Act. Requires each institution to review its accrediting agencies to see if they have adopted or used DEI practices in the last 5 years and report the findings to legislative leadership and change to an accreditor that has not used DEI.
Update: Assigned to Postsecondary Education then Education Overisght Committee(s). Passed 6-3 on 2/10. Passed Oversight 7-2 on 2/25.

HB3134 by Rep. Kevin West and Sen. Randy Grellner: Creates the Keep Accreditation about academics act. Defines and creates civil penealties for violating a framework for basing accredidation decisions.
Update: Assigned to Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight Committee(s). Passed 5-2 on 2/12. PassedOversight 9-3 on 2/16.

HB3315 by Rep. Ryan Eaves and Sen. Julie Daniels: Calls for a Regents for Higher Education feasibility study on implementing a 90 credit hours or 3 year bachelors program
Update: Assigned to Postsecondary Education then Education Overisght Committee(s). Passed 9-0 on 2/10. Passed Oversight 9-0 on 3/2.

HB3700 by Rep. Chad Caldwell and Sen. Julie Daniels: Requires the all state educational institutions to create a policy ensuring student grades are evaluated solely on an academic basis. Regents are required to withhold funding from institutions that fail to adopt such a policy.
Update: Assigned to Postsecondary Education then Education Overisght Committee(s). Passed 6-2 on 2/10. Passed Oversight 8-1 on 2/25. Passed off the House Floor 80-13 on 3/10.

HB4344 by Rep. Anthony Moore and Sen. Darcy Jech: Permits the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to reduce allocations in order to make payments for annual obligations.
Update: Assigned to Appropriations and Budget Committee(s). Passed 10-0 on 2/16. Passed 27-0 on 3/4.

SB1593 by Sen. Todd Gollihare and Rep. Anthony Moore: Deletes language regarding the promulgation of rules and the presidential search process for the Board of Trustees for Oklahoma State University/Tulsa.
Update: Assigned to Education Committee(s). Passed 10-0 on 3/3. Passed off the Senate Floor 43-0 on 3/11.

SB1782 by Sen. Randy Grellner and Rep. Molly Jenkins: Requires each institution of higher education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education to electronically submit to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education the following information for the preceding academic year by July 28, 2028, and by July 31 each year thereafter: the number of full-time faculty employed by the institution; the number of full-time faculty members who have been awarded tenure; the number of part-time faculty including adjunct instructors or employees; and the number of graduate assistants employed by the institution including the number of courses taught by each graduate assistant.
Update: Assigned to Education Committee(s). Title Stricken.  Passed 6-4 on 3/3.

Higher Education Affordability
SB2040 by Sen. Regina Goodwin and : Modifies eligibility for the Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Program.
Update: Assigned to Rules Committee(s). Passed 18-0 on 3/4

SB1272 by Sen. Kelly Hines and Rep. Toni Hasenbeck: increases the student's parent's income level to qualify for the Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant to $80,000 from $50,000.
Update: Assigned to Education then Appropriations Committee(s). Title Stricken. Passed 8-2 on 2/17. Withdrawn from Appropriations

Oklahomas Promise
HB2963 by Rep. Rick West and Sen. Shane Jett: Removes the ACT test as one of the qualifying criteria for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP).
Update: Assigned to A&B Education then to Appropriations Committee(s). Passed 7-3 on 2/9. Failed Deadline

HB4326 by Rep. Anthony Moore and Sen. Ally Seifried: modifies the qualifications for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program to include students in court ordered custody or a federally recognized Indian tribe.
Update: Assigned to Appropriations and Budget Committee(s). Passed 9-0 on 2/9. Passed Full Appropriations 26-0 on 3/4.

Teacher Recruitment & Retention
SB1546 by Sen. Adam Pugh and Rep. Chad Caldwell: Renames the Inspired to Teach Program; increasing scholarship amounts
Update: Assigned to Education Committee(s). Title Stricken. Passed 9-1 on 2/10.  Passed Appropriations 20-1 on 2/18. Pased off the Senate Floor 37-10 on 3/10.

Workforce and Economic Development
SB1632 by Sen. Jerry Alvord and Rep. Toni Hasenbeck: Recuires the Regents for Higher Education to allow institutions to grant college credit based on assessment-based credentials and scores earned on career-readiness assessments.
Update: Assigned to Education Committee(s). Passed 11-0 on2/24. Passed off the Senate floor 46-0 on 3/10.


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