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SENATE FLOOR VERSION
February 11, 2025
SENATE BILL NO. 32 By: Stanley of the Senate
and
Miller of the House
An Act relating to the Oklahoma National Guard
Educational Assistance Act; amending Section 1,
Chapter 24, O.S.L. 2022 (70 O.S. Supp. 20 24, Section
3231), which relates to creation of the act;
directing certain assistance to include program fees
and any other fees for courses; directing the
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the
Military Department of the State of Oklahoma to
jointly review certain fees; allowing the State
Regents to determine if certain fees are ineligible
for program assistan ce; authorizing the Department to
establish certain cap; modifying retention
eligibility; authorizing the Department to establish
a cap on certain program participation; modifying
reasons for which an application for assistance may
be denied; directing the Department to promulgate
certain regulations; directing the State Regents and
the Department to coordinate certain promulgation;
updating statutory references; updating statutory
language; providing an effective date; and declaring
an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY Section 1, Chapter 24, O.S.L. 2022
(70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 3231), is amended to read as follows:
Section 3231. A. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the “Oklahoma National Guard Educational Assistance Act ”.
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B. As used in this act the Oklahoma National Guard Educational
Assistance Act:
1. “Oklahoma educational institution ” means an institution of
higher education within The Oklahoma Sta te System of Higher
Education;
2. “Eligible Guard member ” means a current member of the
Oklahoma National Guard in good standing who has a high s chool
diploma or who has completed General Educational Development (GED)
requirements and who has secured admission to and enrolled in an
Oklahoma educational institution;
3. “Graduate program” means a program offered by an Oklahoma
educational institutio n that leads to the award of a master ’s
degree;
4. “Program” means the Oklahoma National Guard Educational
Assistance Program established pursuant to the provisions of this
section; and
5. “Undergraduate program ” means a program offered by an
Oklahoma educational institution that leads to the award of an
associate’s degree or a baccalaureate degree.
C. There is hereby created the Oklahoma National Guard
Educational Assistance Program to provide assistance to eligible
Guard members who enroll in an Oklaho ma educational institution.
Subject to the availability of funds and limitations established by
the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education , the amount of
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assistance shall be equivalent to the amount of resident tuition,
mandatory fees, and program fees, academic service fees , and any
other fees for courses in which the eligible Guard member is
enrolled, not to exceed a maximum of eighteen (18) credit hours each
semester. The mandatory fees, program fees, academic service fees ,
and any other fees for courses shall be jointly reviewed by the
State Regents and the Military Department of the State of Oklahoma.
The State Regents may determine fees or fee amounts to be ineligible
for program assistance. If the State Regents make such a
determination, program assistance for those fees or fee amounts
shall not be provided to eligible Guard members participating in the
program.
1. The amount of assistance provided to an eligible Guard
member enrolled in an undergraduate program shall not exceed a
maximum of one hundred twenty (120) credit hours in pursuit of an
associate’s degree and/or a baccalaureate degree.
2. Subject to the assistance for eligible Guard members
enrolled in undergraduate programs being fully funded, assistance
shall be provided to an elig ible Guard member with a baccalaureate
degree enrolled in a graduate program. The amount of assistance
provided to an eligible Guard member enrolled in a graduate program
shall not exceed a maximum of forty (40) credit hours in pursuit of
a master’s degree.
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3. Assistance provided pursuant to this section shall be
granted without any limitation other than the amo unt of funds
available for the Program program and the number of eligible Guard
members who apply, subject to any cap established by the Military
Department.
4. Assistance allowed by this section shall not be allowed for
courses taken in excess of the requirements for completion of an
undergraduate program or a graduate program, whichever is applicable
for the eligible Guard member.
D. Assistance provided pursuant to this section shall be
allocated to the Oklahoma educational institution from the Oklahoma
National Guard Educational Assistance Revolving Fund created
pursuant to Section 2 3232 of this act title.
E. To be eligible to apply for the Program program, an eligible
Guard member shall:
1. Have at least one (1) year remaining on his or her
enlistment contract at the beginning of any semester for which the
member applies for assistance pursuant to this section;
2. Agree in writing to complet e his or her current service
obligation in the Oklahoma National Guard; and
3. Agree in writing to serve acti vely in good standing with the
Oklahoma National Guard for not less than twenty -four (24) months
after completion of the last semester for which t he member receives
assistance pursuant to this section.
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F. To retain eligibility for the Program program, an eligible
Guard member shall:
1. Maintain good academic standing and satisfactory academic
progress according to standards of the Oklahoma educati onal
institution in which the member is enrolled;
2. Maintain the requirements for retention and degree
completion as established by the Oklahoma educational institution in
which the member is enrolled;
3. Maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0
scale; and
4. Maintain satisfactory participation in the Oklahoma National
Guard; and
5. Possess a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) or Air Force
Specialty Code (AFSC) after his or her first semester .
G. An eligible Guard member seeking assis tance pursuant to the
provisions of this section shall submit an application on a form
prescribed by the Milit ary Department of the State of Oklahoma to
the Educational Service Office of the Military Department prior to
the semester for which assistance is sought. The eligible Guard
member’s Commander or his or her designee shall confirm a member ’s
standing and eligibility to the Oklahoma educational institution in
which the student is enrolled. The Military Department may
establish a cap on the number of eligible Guard members allowed to
participate per semester per undergraduate or graduate program .
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H. The eligible Guard member’s Commander may deny an
application submitted by an eligible Guard member for continued
Program program assistance if he or she fails to comply with the
provisions of paragraph 1, 2, or 3, 4, or 5 of subsection F of this
section.
I. An eligible Guard member who has received Program program
assistance pursuant to the provisions of this section and who fails
to comply with the prov isions of paragraph 4 of subsection F of this
section shall be required to repay an amount to be calculated as
follows:
1. Determine the total amount of assistance provided pursuant
to the provisions of this section;
2. Divide the amount determined in pa ragraph 1 of this
subsection by twenty -four (24); and
3. Multiply the amount determined in paragraph 2 of this
subsection by the number of months the member did not fulfill the
requirements of paragraph 4 of subsection F of this section.
Repayments shall be deposited into the Oklahoma National Guard
Educational Assistance Revolving Fund created pursuant to Secti on 2
3232 of this act title.
J. An eligible Guard member who has received Program program
assistance pursuant to the provisions of this section a nd who fails
to comply with the provisions of paragraph 4 of subsection F of this
section due to hardship circumstances may request a waiver from
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repayment. A waiver request shall be submitted in writing to the
Adjutant General.
K. By July 1 annually, th e Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
Education shall notify the Adjutant General of the amount of funding
available in the Oklahoma National Guard Educational Assistance
Revolving Fund created pursuant to Section 2 3232 of this act title.
L. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall
promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this act the
Oklahoma National Guard Educational Assistance Act including
deadlines for submission of applications required by subsection G of
this section. The Military Department of the State of Oklahoma
shall promulgate regulations pertaining to the application process
and the determination of eligibility for the program. The State
Regents and the Department shall coordinate the promulgation of
rules and regulations , respectively. The Adjutant General may
promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this act the
Oklahoma National Guard Educational Assistance Act .
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergenc y is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
February 11, 2025 - DO PASS