Oklahoma 2025 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB1395 Introduced / Bill

Filed 01/28/2025

                     
 
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STATE OF OKLAHOMA 
 
1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025) 
 
HOUSE BILL 1395 	By: Provenzano 
 
 
 
 
 
AS INTRODUCED 
 
An Act relating to schools; amending Section 2, 
Chapter 278, O.S.L. 2023, as amended by Section 3, 
Chapter 277, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 
28-101), which relates to the Oklahoma Parental 
Choice Tax Credit Act; modifying website requirements 
for the Oklahoma Tax Commission; and providing an 
effective date. 
 
 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     Section 2, Chapter 278, O.S.L. 
2023, as amended by Section 3, Chapter 277, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. 
Supp. 2024, Section 28 -101), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 28-101.  A.  As used in the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax 
Credit Act: 
1.  "Commission" means the Oklahoma Tax Commission; 
2.  "Curriculum" means a complete course of study for a 
particular content area or grade level; 
3.  "Department" means the State Department of Education; 
4.  "Education service prov ider" means a person, business, 
public school district, public charter school, magnet school, or   
 
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organization that provides educational goods and/or services to 
eligible students in this state; 
5.  "Eligible student" means a resident of this state who is 
eligible to enroll in a public school in this state.  Eligible 
student shall include a student who is enrolled in and attends or is 
expected to enroll in a private school in this state accredited by 
the State Board of Education or another accrediting associ ation or a 
student who is educated pursuant to the other means of education 
exception provided for in subsection A of Section 10 -105 of this 
title; 
6.  "Qualified expense" for the purpose of claiming the credit 
authorized by paragraph 1 of subsection C of this section means 
tuition and fees at a private school in this state accredited by the 
State Board of Education or another accrediting association.  
Provided, the amount of tuition and fees con sidered a qualified 
expense pursuant to this paragraph shall n ot include tuition and 
fees paid with any scholarship or tuition and fees discounted or 
otherwise reduced by the school; 
7.  "Qualified expense" for the purpose of claiming the credit 
authorized by paragraph 2 of subsection C of this section means the 
following expenditures: 
a. tuition and fees for nonpublic learning programs, 
online or in person,   
 
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b. academic tutoring services provided by an individual 
or a private academic tutoring facility, 
c. textbooks, curriculum, or other instructional 
materials including, but not limited to, supplemental 
materials or associated online instruction required by 
an education service provider, and 
d. fees for nationally standardized assessments 
including, but not limited to, assessments used to 
determine college admission a nd advanced placement 
examinations as well as tuition and fees for tutoring 
or preparatory courses for the assessments; and 
8.  "Taxpayer" means a biological or adoptive parent, 
grandparent, aunt, uncle, legal guardian, custodian, or other person 
with legal authority to act on behalf of an eligible student. 
B.  There is hereby created the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax 
Credit Program to provide an income tax credit to a taxpayer for 
qualified expenses to support the education of eligible students in 
this state. 
C.  For the tax year 2024 and subsequent tax years, and fiscal 
year 2026 and subsequent fiscal years, there shall be allowed 
against the tax imposed by Section 2355 of Title 68 of the Oklahom a 
Statutes a credit for any Oklahoma taxpayer who incurs a qua lified 
expense on behalf of an eligible student, to be administered subject 
to the following amounts:   
 
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1.  If the eligible student attends a private school in this 
state accredited by the State Board of Education or another 
accrediting association, the annu al maximum credit amount for tax 
year 2024, fiscal year 2026, and each subsequent fiscal year shall 
be: 
a. Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($7,500.00) or the 
amount of tuition and fees for t he private school, 
whichever is less, if the combined adjusted gross 
income of the parents or legal guardians of the 
eligible student during the second preceding tax year 
does not exceed Seventy -five Thousand Dollars 
($75,000.00), 
b. Seven Thousand Dollars ($7,000.00) or the amount of 
tuition and fees for the private school, whichever is 
less, if the combined adjusted gross income of the 
parents or legal guardians of the eligible student 
during the second preceding tax year is more than 
Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) but does 
not exceed One Hundred Fifty T housand Dollars 
($150,000.00), 
c. Six Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($6,500.00) or the 
amount of tuition and fees for the private school, 
whichever is less, if the combined adjusted gross 
income of the parents or legal guardians of the   
 
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eligible student dur ing the second preceding tax year 
is more than One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars 
($150,000.00) but does not exceed Two Hundred Twenty -
five Thousand Dollars ($225,000.00), 
d. Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00) or the amount of 
tuition and fees for the privat e school, whichever is 
less, if the combined adjusted gross income of the 
parents or legal guardians of the eligible student 
during the second preceding tax year is more than Two 
Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($225,000.00) but 
does not exceed Two Hu ndred Fifty Thousand Dollars 
($250,000.00), or 
e. Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) or the amount of 
tuition and fees for the private school, whichever is 
less, if the combined adjusted gross in come of the 
parents or legal guardians of the eligible student 
during the second preceding tax year is more than Two 
Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00); 
2.  For tax year 2024 and subsequent tax years, the maximum 
credit amount shall be One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) in qualified 
expenses per eligible stud ent in each tax year if the eligible 
student is educated pursuant to the other means of education 
exception provided for in subsection A of Section 10 -105 of this 
title.  To claim the credit, th e taxpayer shall submit to the   
 
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Commission receipts for qualifi ed expenses as defined by paragraph 7 
of subsection A of this section; 
3.  If the eligible student attends a private school in this 
state, accredited by the State Board of Education or another 
accrediting association, that exclusively serves students 
experiencing homelessness, the credit amount shall be Seven Thousand 
Five Hundred Dollars ($7,500.00) or the amount of the cost to 
educate the eligible student at the private school, whichever is 
less; 
4.  If the eligible student attends a private school in thi s 
state, accredited by the State Board of Education or another 
accrediting association, that primarily serves financially 
disadvantaged students, the credit amount shall be the maximum 
credit amount authorized by paragraph 1 of this subsection or the 
amount of the cost to educate the eligible student at the private 
school, whichever is less.  The cost to educate the eligible student 
shall be equal to the average cost to educate all students atten ding 
the private school, which shall be calculated by dividing the 
private school's total expenditures in the previous year by the 
total enrollment in the previous school year.  A private school 
shall be deemed to be primarily serving financially disadvantaged 
students if ninety percent (90%) of the private school 's admissions 
are based on enrolling students whose gross family income is two   
 
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hundred fifty percent (250%) of the federal poverty threshold or 
below; 
5.  The taxpayer shall retain all receipts of qualified expenses 
as proof of the amounts paid each tax year the credit is claimed and 
shall submit them to the Commission upon request; 
6.  If the credit exceeds the tax imposed by Section 2355 of 
Title 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes, the excess amount shall be 
refunded to the taxpayer; and 
7.  Credits claimed by a ta xpayer pursuant to the provisions of 
this section shall not be used to offset or pay the following: 
a. delinquent tax liability, 
b. accrued penalty or interest from the failure to file a 
report or return, 
c. accrued penalty or interest from the failure to pay a 
state tax within the statutory period allowed for its 
payment, 
d. tax liability of the taxpayer from any prior tax year, 
or 
e. any debt, unpaid fine, final judgment, or claim filed 
with the Commission by a qualified entity as defined 
in Section 205.2 of Title 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes. 
D. 1. a. For tax year 2024, the total amount of credits 
authorized by paragraph 1 of subsection C of this   
 
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section shall not exceed One Hundred Fifty Millio n 
Dollars ($150,000,000.00). 
b. For the period of January 1, 2 025, through June 30, 
2025, the total amount of credits authorized by 
paragraph 1 of subsection C of this section shall not 
exceed One Hundred Million Dollars ($100,000,000.00).  
The Commission shall not require a taxpayer who 
received a credit pursuant to paragraph 1 of 
subsection C of this section in tax year 2024 to 
reapply for a credit payable during the period 
described in this subparagraph.  The Commission shall 
base the credit amount payab le for the spring 2025 on 
the fall 2024 installment disburseme nt payment amount. 
c. For fiscal year 2026 and subsequent fiscal years, the 
total amount of credits authorized by paragraph 1 of 
subsection C of this section shall not exceed Two 
Hundred Fifty Million Dollars ($250,000,000.00). 
2.  For tax year 2025 and su bsequent tax years, the total amount 
of credits authorized by paragraph 2 of subsection C of this section 
shall not exceed Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000.00). 
E.  The Commission shall prescrib e applications for the purposes 
of claiming the credits author ized by the Oklahoma Parental Choice 
Tax Credit Act and a deadline by which applications shall be 
submitted.  A taxpayer claiming the credit authorized by paragraph 1   
 
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of subsection C of this section shall submit an application 
prescribed by the Commission to receive the credit in two 
installments, each of which shall be half of the expected amount of 
tuition and fees for the private school based on the enrollment 
verification form submitted pursu ant to this subsection, but in no 
event shall an installment p ayment exceed the amount of the credit 
authorized by paragraph 1 of subsection C of this section.  If an 
eligible taxpayer provides documentation on the application that he 
or she is a recipient of income -based government benefits including 
the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary 
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or SoonerCare, the eligible 
taxpayer shall not be required to provide additional income 
verification.  A taxpayer claiming the credit authorized by 
paragraph 1 of subsec tion C of this section shall submit to the 
Commission an enrollment verification form from the private school 
in which the eligible student is enrolled or is expected to enroll 
with the tuition and fees to be charged the taxpayer for the 
applicable school year.  In reviewing applications submitted by 
eligible taxpayers to determine whether they qualify for a credit 
authorized by paragraph 1 of subsection C of this section, the 
Commission shall give first preference in making installments to 
taxpayers who qualify pursuant to subparagraphs a and b of paragraph 
1 of subsection C of this section.  For credits issued in the 2025 -
2026 school year and subsequent school years, the application period   
 
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shall open on February 15 prior to the beginning of each school 
year.  For any eligible student whose parents or legal guardians 
have a combined adjusted gross income that does not exceed One 
Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00), applications shall be 
submitted to the Commission within the first sixty (60) days of the 
opening of the application period to receive priority consideration.  
For students enrolled in the full school year, the credit shall be 
paid in two installments, one per school semester, to be paid no 
later than August 30 and January 15, each of whic h shall be half of 
the total expected amount of tuition and fees on the enrollment 
verification form submitted pursuant to this subsection. 
F.  In the event there are more applications submitted by 
eligible taxpayers for a credit authorized by paragraph 1 of 
subsection C of this section than available credits pursuant to 
subsection D of this section, then the Commission shall give first 
preference in authorizing credits for eligible students of taxpayers 
who qualify pursuant to subparagraphs a and b of para graph 1 of 
subsection C of this section and have received the credit in the 
prior year. 
G.  Taxpayers claiming the credit shall: 
1.  Only claim the credit for qualified expenses as defined in 
paragraphs 6 and 7 of subsection A of this section to provide an 
education for an eligible student;   
 
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2.  Ensure no other person is claiming a credit for the eligible 
student; 
3.  Not claim the credit for an eligible student who enrolls as 
a full-time student in a public school district, public charter 
school, public virtual charter school, or magnet school; 
4.  Comply with rules and requirements established by the 
Commission for administration of the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax 
Credit Program; and 
5.  Notify the Commission not later than thirty (30) days after 
the date on which the eligible student: 
a. enrolls in a public school, including an open -
enrollment charter school, 
b. enrolls in a nonaccredited private school, 
c. graduates from high school, or 
d. is no longer utilizing credits authorized by paragraph 
1 of subsection C of this section for any reason. 
H.  Eligible students may accept a scholarship from the Lindsey 
Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program 
created by Section 13 -101.2 of this title while participating in the 
Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Program. 
I.  1.  The Commission shall have the authority to conduct an 
audit or contract for the auditing of receipts for qualified 
expenses submitted pursuant to paragraph 2 of subsection C of this 
section.   
 
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2.  The Commission shall be aut horized to recapture the credits 
otherwise authorized by the provisions of the Oklahoma Parental 
Choice Tax Credit Act on a prorated basis if an audit conducted 
pursuant to this subsection shows that the credit was claimed for 
expenditures that were not qu alified expenses or it finds that the 
taxpayer has claimed an eligible student who no longer attends a 
private school or has enrolled in a public school in the state. 
3.  The Commission shall be authorized to reallocate credits to 
the next eligible taxpaye r in line when a taxpayer, on behalf of an 
eligible student in the program, chooses not to participate, is no 
longer eligible to participate, or chooses to forgo participation in 
the program for any reason. 
4.  The Commission shall provide notification of approval status 
to applicants within thirty (30) days of closure of the application 
window.  Notice to applicants with an eligible student, whose 
parents or legal guardians have a combined adjusted gross income of 
more than One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dolla rs ($150,000.00), shall be 
sent within thirty (30) days or no later than thirty (30) days after 
the last day of the priority consideration period. 
J.  In the event of a failure of revenue pursua nt to the 
Oklahoma State Finance Act, the tax credits otherwis e authorized in 
subsection C of this section shall be reduced proportionately to the 
reduction in the amount of money appropriated to the State Board of   
 
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Education for the financial support of public schools for the fiscal 
year in which the failure of reven ue occurs. 
K.  The Commission shall make available on its website to be 
updated monthly: 
1.  The total amount of credits claimed each year , listed in 
total and disaggregated by individual privat e school and/or 
homeschool, pursuant to paragraphs 1 through 4 of subsection C of 
this section; 
2.  The By individual private school and/or homeschool, the 
amount of credits claimed and number of students awarded each fiscal 
year pursuant to paragraph 1 of subsection C of this section 
disaggregated by income categori es; 
3.  The By individual private school and/or homeschool, the 
total amount of credits claimed and number of students awarded who 
attended a public school in the semester immediately preceding the 
school year for which the application is made each year; and 
4.  The By individual private school and/or homeschool, the 
total number of applications denied and total amount of credits the 
denied applications represent for each fiscal year ; and 
5.  The total amount by category of qualified expenses as listed 
in paragraph 7 of Section A of this act . 
L.  Credits received pursuant to the Oklahoma Parental Choice 
Tax Credit Act shall not constitute taxable income to a taxpayer who 
received the credit on beh alf of an eligible student.   
 
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SECTION 2.  This act shall become effective November 1, 2025. 
 
60-1-11243 AO 12/31/24