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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024)
SENATE BILL 1311 By: Pugh
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to higher education; creating the
Veterans Entering Teaching (VET) Act; providing short
title; defining terms; creating th e Veterans Entering
Teaching (VET) Program to provide tuition and
mandatory fee assistance to certain eligible
students; providing for eligibility; requiring
eligible students to execute certain agreement;
providing contents of agreement; providing
eligibility retention requirements; providing for
amount of assistance ; prohibiting assistance for
certain courses or un its; directing assistance to be
allocated from certain fund; prohibiting individuals
who accept certain assistance from also being
eligible for certain program; directing certain
federal benefits to be exhausted first; requiring
repayment of assistance for failure to meet certain
requirement; providing for calculation of repayment
amount; providing for deposit of repayment amounts in
certain fund; allowing for application of hardship
waiver; providing for promulgation of ru les; creating
the Veterans Entering Teaching (VET) Revolving Fund;
specifying source of fund; providing for
expenditures; providing purpose of fund; providing
for codification; providing an effective date; and
declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3234 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Veterans
Entering Teaching (VET) Act”.
B. As used in this act:
1. “Eligible student” means a student who was discharged under
honorable conditions from the United States Arm ed Forces within
three (3) years of the date of enrolling in an Oklahoma educational
institution regardless of the home o f record for the student ;
2. “Home of record” means the place where a student was living
when he or she enlisted or was commissioned into the United States
Armed Forces or reenlisted in the United States Armed Forces ;
3. “Oklahoma educational ins titution” means an institution of
higher education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher
Education; and
4. “Program” means the Veterans Entering Teaching (VET)
Program.
C. There is hereby created the Veterans Entering Teaching (VET)
Program to provide tuition and mandatory fee assistance to eligible
students to earn a degree from an approved teach er preparation
program at an Oklahoma educational institution if they agree to
teach in a school district in this state for three (3) consecutive
years.
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D. To be eligible to participate in the Program during the
2024-2025 academic year and thereafter, an individual shall:
1. Enroll in an Oklahoma educational institution;
2. Submit an application on a form prescribed by the Oklahoma
State Regents for Higher Education;
3. Declare a major in an approved Oklahoma teacher preparation
program leading to a standard teaching certificate; and
4. Execute an agreement pursuant to subsection E of this
section.
E. An eligible student who meets the criteria of subsection D
of this section shall execu te an agreement stating that he or she
shall:
1. Agree to earn a bachelor’s degree from an approved teacher
preparation program at an O klahoma educational institution leading
to a standard teaching certifi cate;
2. Agree to meet the requirements of Section 6-187 of Title 70
of the Oklahoma Statutes to earn a standard tea ching certificate;
and
3. Agree to teach in a school district in this state fo r three
(3) consecutive years. The ind ividual shall not be required to
teach at the same school district for three (3) consecutive years.
F. To retain eligibility for the Program, an eligible student
shall:
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1. Maintain good academic standing and satisfactory acad emic
progress while enrolled in an Oklahoma educational institution
according to the institution ’s standards; and
2. After earning a bachelor ’s degree from an approved Oklahoma
teacher preparation program, submit annual proof of employment with
a school district in this state to the Oklahoma State Regents for
Higher Education.
G. 1. The amount of assistance shall be equivalent to the
amount of tuition and mandatory fees for courses in which the
eligible student enrolls for completion of a bachelor ’s degree from
an approved Oklahoma teacher preparation p rogram. Assistance shall
not be allowed for courses or other postsecondary units taken in
excess of the requirements for completion of a bachelor ’s degree or
taken more than five (5) years after the individual’s first semester
of enrollment in an Oklahoma educational institution.
2. Assistance provided pursuant to this s ubsection shall be
allocated to the Oklahoma e ducational institution from the Veterans
Entering Teaching (VET) Revolving Fund created pursuant to Section 2
of this act.
H. An eligible student who a ccepts assistance pursuant to this
section shall not also be eligible for the Inspired to Teach Program
created in Section 698.1 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
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I. An eligible student seeking tuition and fee assistance
pursuant to this section who is eligible for federal education
benefits shall exhaust all available federal benefits first.
J. Assistance provided pursuant to this section shall b e
granted without any limitation other than the amount of funds
available for the Program and the number of eligible students who
apply.
K. An individual who has received Program assistance pursuant
to this section and who fails to comply with the agreement execu ted
pursuant to subsection E of this section shall b e required to repay
an amount to be calculated as follows:
1. Determine the total amount of Program assistance provided
pursuant to the provisions of this section;
2. Divide the amount determine d in paragraph 1 of this
subsection by twelve (12); and
3. Multiply the amount determined in paragraph 2 of this
subsection by the number of months the individual did not fulfill
the requirements of the agreement executed pursuant to subsection E
of this section. Repayments shall be deposi ted into the Veterans
Entering Teaching (VET) Revolving Fund created pursuant to Section 2
of this act.
L. An individual who has received Program assi stance pursuant
to this section and who fails to comply with the agre ement executed
pursuant to subsection E of this section due to hardship
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circumstances may request a waiver from repayment from the O klahoma
State Regents for Higher E ducation.
M. The Oklahoma State Regents for Hi gher Education shall
promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section.
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3235 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund
for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to be designated
the “Veterans Entering Teaching (VET) Revolving Fund”. The fund
shall be a continuing fund, n ot subject to fiscal year limitations,
and shall consist of all monies received by the State Regents from
legislative appropriations provided for the purpose of implementing
the Veterans Entering Teaching (VET) Program created in Section 1 of
this act. All monies accruing to the credit of the fund are hereby
appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the State Regents
for the purpose provided for in 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 of the
Office of Management and Enterprise Services for approval and
payment.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2024.
SECTION 4. It being immediate ly necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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declared to exist, by reason whereof thi s act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its pas sage and approval.
59-2-2556 EB 12/13/2023 11:33:25 AM