Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB2888 Compare Versions

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3		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB2888 SFLR Page 1
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29		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION
30		-	April 22, 2025
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33	28		ENGROSSED HOUSE
34	29		BILL NO. 2888 By: Townley of the House
35	30
36	31		and
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38	33		Reinhardt of the Senate
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43	40		An Act relating to higher education; amending 70 O.S.
44	41		2021, Section 2632, which relates to Oklahoma Tuition
45	42		Equalization Grant eligibility requirements;
46	43		modifying certain eligibility requirement ; and
47	44		providing an effective date .
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51	50		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
52	51		SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 2632, is
53	52		amended to read as follows:
54	53		Section 2632. A. To be eligible for an Oklahoma Tuition
55	54		Equalization Grant, a student shall:
56	55		1. Be an Oklahoma resident as defined by the Oklahoma State
57	56		Regents for Higher Education;
58	57		2. Have enrolled as a full -time undergraduate student in an
59	58		eligible institution of highe r education as prescribed in subsection
60	59		D of this section;
61	60		3. Meet the income eligibility level, which is the student 's
62	61		parents' income from taxable and nontaxable sources which shall not
63	62		be more than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) per year or the
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65		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB2888 SFLR Page 2
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	64	+	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2888 Page 2 1
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91	89		student's income if the student is independent and self -supporting
92	90		as determined by the State Regents consistent with federal financial
93	91		aid regulations;
94	92		4. Pay more tuition than is required at a comparable public
95	93		institution of higher education and pay no l ess than the regular
96	94		tuition required of all students enrolled at the institution where
97	95		the student is enrolled; and
98	96		5. Maintain at least minimum standards of academic performance
99	97		as required by the enrolling institution.
100	98		B. The enrolling institution sha ll forward a completed student
101	99		application, documentation of full -time enrollment status, and
102	100		certification of resident status to the State Regents no later than
103	101		October 15 for the fall semester and March 15 for the spring
104	102		semester of each academic year.
105	103		C. Subject to the availability of funds in the Oklahoma Tuition
106	104		Equalization Grant Trust Fund, an Oklahoma Tuition Equalization
107	105		Grant in the amount of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) per academic
108	106		year, or One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) per academic seme ster
109	107		shall be awarded by the State Regents by allocation from the
110	108		Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant Trust Fund, beginning with
111	109		eligible students enrolled in the 2003 -2004 school year. No grants
112	110		pursuant to this act shall be provided to students for atte nding
113	111		summer terms or intersessions.
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141	138		D. The State Regents shall impl ement policies and procedures
142	139		for the administration of this act. The State Regents shall approve
143	140		as eligible institutions of higher education only those private or
144	141		independent, not-for-profit colleges or universities that are
145	142		domiciled within this state, meet approved program and accreditation
146	143		standards as determined by the State Regents, and are fully
147	144		accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central
148	145		Association on Colle ges and Schools or a national accrediting body
149	146		recognized by the Unit ed States Department of Education. To be
150	147		eligible, institutions must have been granted not -for-profit status
151	148		by the Internal Revenue Service and the U. S. Department of
152	149		Education prior to July 1, 2012. Additionally, eligible
153	150		institutions shall adhere to the complaint process policies and
154	151		procedures administered by the State Regents. The State Regents
155	152		shall review and take action, as authorized, on complaints
156	153		concerning eligible institut ions. The eligible institutions shall
157	154		include Bacone College, Family of Faith College, Mid -America
158	155		Christian University, Oklahoma Baptist University, Oklahoma
159	156		Christian University, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma Wesleyan
160	157		University, Oral Roberts Unive rsity, Southern Nazarene University,
161	158		Southwestern Christian University, St. Gregory's University, the
162	159		University of Tulsa and Randall University.
163	160		E. If funds are not sufficient in the Oklahoma Tuition
164	161		Equalization Grant Trust Fund to provide grants for al l eligible
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192	188		applicants, the State Regents shall award grants on the ba sis of
193	189		need and take into consideration other grants and scholarships
194	190		received by an eligible applicant when awarding grants. Students
195	191		who have previously received a tuition equalization grant and who
196	192		continue to meet the requirements for eligibility shall have
197	193		absolute priority for continued financial support superior to any
198	194		student who is applying for a grant for the first time.
199	195		F. Students enrolling as first -time freshmen for the 2003 -2004
200	196		school year shall be the first class of students eligible to ap ply
201	197		for Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grants. In subsequent years, all
202	198		previously eligible students and the first -time enrolling freshmen
203	199		students shall be entitled to apply for a grant pursuant to this
204	200		section. Beginning in the 2007 -2008 school year, all eligible
205	201		students shall be entitled to apply for a grant pursuant to this
206	202		section.
207	203		G. A grant provided by this section shall not be allowed for
208	204		courses or other postsecondary units tak en in excess of the
209	205		requirements for completion of a baccalaureate pr ogram or taken more
210	206		than five (5) years after the student 's first grant is received.
211	207		The State Regents may award an Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant
212	208		for courses of postsecondary units taken more than five (5) years
213	209		after the student's first grant is received only in hardship
214	210		circumstances. No Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant recipient may
215	211		receive benefits beyond a cumulative time period of five (5) years.
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243	238		H. On or before February 1 after the first semester in which
244	239		grants are awarded pursuant to th is act and every year thereafter,
245	240		the State Regents shall provide a report to the Governor, President
246	241		Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
247	242		Representatives to include , but not be limited to the number of
248	243		students awarded grants, grade point average, persistence rates,
249	244		degree completion rates, demographic data, and any other indicators
250	245		the State Regents deem appropriate.
251	246		SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
252		-	COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON EDUCATIO N
253		-	April 22, 2025 - DO PASS
	247	+	Passed the House of Representatives the 13th day of March, 2025.
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	252	+	Presiding Officer of the House
	253	+	of Representatives
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	257	+	Passed the Senate the ____ day of __________, 2025.
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	262	+	Presiding Officer of the Senate
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