Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB235 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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3		-	SB235 HFLR Page 1
4		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	3	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 235 Page 1 1
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28		-
29		-	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
30		-
31		-	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
32		-
33		-	1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
34	27
35	28		ENGROSSED SENATE
36	29		BILL NO. 235 By: Pugh of the Senate
37	30
38	31		and
39	32
40	33		Kerbs of the House
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44	37
45	38		[ teachers - Program - grant - application - report -
46	39		promulgation of rules - fund - codification -
47	40		effective date -
48	41		emergency ]
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53	46		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
54	47		SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
55	48		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 698.4 of Title 70, unless there
56	49		is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
57	50		A. As used in this section , “eligible school district ” means a
58	51		public school district or public school district foundation in this
59	52		state that has established a program to provide tuition or loan
60	53		repayment assistance to school district employees who pursue an
61	54		undergraduate degree from a teacher preparation program accredited
62	55		by the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability leading
63	56		to a standard teaching certificate .
	57	+	B. There is hereby created the Grow Your Own Educator Program
	58	+	to provide matching fund grants to eligible schoo l districts. The
	59	+	program shall be established and maintained by the Office of
	60	+	Educational Quality and Accountability .
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65		-	SB235 HFLR Page 2
66		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	62	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 235 Page 2 1
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91		-	B. There is hereby created the Grow Your Own Educator Program
92		-	to provide matching fund grants to eligible school districts. The
93		-	program shall be established and maintained by the Office of
94		-	Educational Quality and Accountability .
95	87		C. An eligible school district seeking to participate in the
96	88		Grow Your Own Educator Program shall submit an application in the
97	89		manner and on a form prescribed by the Office of Educational Quality
98	90		and Accountability. The application shall include:
99	91		1. The amount of matching fund grants requested;
100	92		2. The position of the employee pursuing an undergraduate
101	93		degree from a teacher preparation p rogram; and
102	94		3. The subject area in which the employee is purs uing an
103	95		undergraduate degree from a teacher preparation program.
104	96		D. Matching fund grants shall be awarded on a first -come,
105	97		first-served basis. Grants sha ll be provided without any limitation
106	98		other than the amount of funds available in the Grow Your Own
107	99		Educator Revolving Fund created pursuant to Section 2 of this act
108	100		and the number of eligible school districts that apply.
109	101		E. By June 30, 2026, and each June 30 thereafter, an eligible
110	102		school district that receives a matching fund grant pursuant to this
111	103		section shall electronically submit a report to the Office of
112	104		Educational Quality and Accountability that includes :
	105	+	1. A status update on the progress the em ployee receiving
	106	+	tuition assistance is making in the teacher preparation program in
	107	+	which he or she is enrolled; or
	108	+	2. The employment status of the employee receiving loan
	109	+	repayment assistance.
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114		-	SB235 HFLR Page 3
115		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	111	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 235 Page 3 1
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140		-	1. A status update on the progress the employee receiving
141		-	tuition assistance is making in the teacher preparation program in
142		-	which he or she is enrolled; or
143		-	2. The employment status of the employee receiving loan
144		-	repayment assistance.
145	136		F. By December 31, 2026, and each December 31 thereafter, the
146	137		Office of Educational Quality and Acc ountability shall
147	138		electronically submit a report to the Governor, the President Pro
148	139		Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
149	140		Representatives that includes:
150	141		1. The school district matching fund grant rec ipients;
151	142		2. The amount of matching fun d grants allocated to each
152	143		recipient;
153	144		3. The subject area in which the employee receiving tuition
154	145		assistance is pursuing an undergraduate degree, or the subject area
155	146		in which the employee receiving loan repayment assistance has
156	147		received an undergraduate d egree; and
157	148		4. The information submitted pursuant to subsection E of this
158	149		section.
159	150		G. The Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability
160	151		shall promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section.
161	152		SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
162	153		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 698.5 of Title 70, unless there
163	154		is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
	155	+	There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund
	156	+	for the Commission for Education al Quality and Accountability to be
	157	+	designated the “Grow Your Own Educator Revolving Fund”. The fund
	158	+	shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations,
	159	+	and shall consist of all monies received by the Commission for
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165		-	SB235 HFLR Page 4
166		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	161	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 235 Page 4 1
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191		-	There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund
192		-	for the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to be
193		-	designated the “Grow Your Own Educator Revolving Fund”. The fund
194		-	shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations,
195		-	and shall consist of all monies received by the Commission for
196	186		Educational Quality and Accountability from legislative
197	187		appropriations provided for the purpose of implementing the Grow
198	188		Your Own Educator Program created in Section 1 of this act. All
199	189		monies accruing to the credit of the fund are hereby appropriated
200	190		and may be budgeted and exp ended by the Commission for the purpose
201	191		provided for in this section. Expenditures from the fund shall be
202	192		made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer against claims
203	193		filed as prescribed by law with the Director o f the Office of
204	194		Management and Enterpri se Services for approval and payment.
205	195		SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
206	196		SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
207	197		of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
208	198		declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
209	199		be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
	200	+	Passed the Senate the 25th day of March, 2025.
210	201
211		-	COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMM ITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS AND BUDGET, dated
212		-	04/17/2025 - DO PASS, As Amended.
	202	+
	203	+
	204	+	Presiding Officer of the Senate
	205	+
	206	+
	207	+	Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________,
	208	+	2025.
	209	+
	210	+
	211	+
	212	+	Presiding Officer of the House
	213	+	of Representatives
	214	+