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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 58th Legislature (2022)
ENGROSSED SENATE
BILL NO. 1627 By: Pugh of the Senate
and
Echols of the House
[ higher education - Workforce Development Revolving
Fund - purpose of fund - codification - effective
date -
emergency ]
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3210.1 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numb ering, reads as follows:
A. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving
fund for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to be
designated the "Workforce Development Revolving Fund". The fund
shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limita tions,
and shall consist of all monies received by the State Regents from
state appropriations . All monies accruing to the credit of the fund
are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and e xpended by the
State Regents for the purpose of implementing the provisions of
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subsection C of this section. Expenditures from the fund shall be
made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer against claims
filed as prescribed by law with the Director o f the Office of
Management and Enterprise Services for approval and payment.
B. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, the Legislature
shall appropriate Fifty Million Dollars ($50,000,000.00) to the
Workforce Development Revolving Fund created pursua nt to subsection
A of this section.
C. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Educati on shall award
funds from the Workforce Development Revolving Fund created pursuant
to subsection A of this section to institutions within The O klahoma
State System of Higher Education that increase the number of degrees
granted to fulfill workforce needs in critical occupation areas.
For the purposes of this section "critical occupation areas" are
those areas identified by the Executive Director of the O klahoma
Department of Commerce that are in high demand and are projected to
have positive future growth.
D. 1. One-third of the funds appropriated pursuant to
subsection B of this section shall be allocated to institutions
within The Oklahoma State System of H igher Education that increase
the number of degrees granted in the area of nursing . The increase
in the number of degrees shall be calculated based on the number of
degrees granted in the area of nursing during the 2019-2020, 2020-
2021, and 2021-2022 academic years.
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2. One-third of the funds appropriated pursuant to subs ection B
of this section shall be allocated to institutions within The
Oklahoma State System of H igher Education that increase the number
of degrees granted in the area of engineering. The increase in the
number of degrees shall be calculated based on the number of degrees
granted in the area of engineering during the 2019-2020, 2020-2021,
and 2021-2022 academic years.
3. One-third of the funds appropriated pursuant to subs ection B
of this section shall be allocated to institutions within The
Oklahoma State System of Higher Education that increase the number
of degrees granted in the area of teaching. The increase in the
number of degrees shall be calculated based on the number of degrees
granted in the area of teaching during the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and
2021-2022 academic years.
E. 1. Beginning in the 2022-2023 academic year, the Oklahoma
State Regents for Higher Educatio n shall award from the Wo rkforce
Development Revolving Fund created pursuant to subsection A of th is
section an amount equal to Ten Thousand Dollars ( $10,000.00) for
each degree in the areas of nursing, engineering, and teaching
granted by an institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher
Education above the average number of degrees granted by each
institution in the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 academic
years.
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2. Beginning in the 2024-2025 academic year and b iennially
thereafter, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall
recalculate the average number of degrees granted by each
institution in the areas of nursing, engineerin g, and teaching for
the previous three academic years , which shall be used as the basis
for the granting of awards.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1 , 2022.
SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservati on
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof t his act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its pa ssage and approval.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND CAREER TECH,
dated 04/04/2022 - DO PASS, As Amended.