Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB363 Compare Versions

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	3	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 363 Page 1 1
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28		-	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
29		-
30		-	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
31		-
32		-	1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
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34	28		ENGROSSED SENATE
35	29		BILL NO. 363 By: Jech of the Senate
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37	31		and
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39	33		Moore of the House
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44	38		An Act relating to higher education; amending 70 O.S.
45	39		2021, Section 4103, as amended by Section 1, Chapter
46	40		122, O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 4103),
47	41		which relates to accreditation of private and certain
48	42		out-of-state institutions; defining term; requiring
49	43		certain institutions to be domiciled in certain
50	44		locations; modifying policies and procedures related
51	45		to accreditation; updating statutory reference;
52	46		exempting certain institutions from accreditation;
53	47		updating statutory language; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
54	48		Section 4104, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 117,
55	49		O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 4104), which
56	50		relates to degrees granted by private educational
57	51		institutions; modifying exemption for certain
58	52		religious degrees; updating statutory reference;
59	53		providing an effective date; and declaring an
60	54		emergency.
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66	60		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
67	61		SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O .S. 2021, Section 4103, as
68	62		amended by Section 1, Chapter 122, O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024,
69	63		Section 4103), is amended to read as follows:
70	64		Section 4103. A. As used in this section:
71		-	SB363 HFLR Page 2
72		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	65	+	1. “Degree-granting institution ” means an institution that
	66	+	offers education leading to an associate ’s degree or higher;
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	68	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 363 Page 2 1
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97		-	1. “Degree-granting institution ” means an institution that
98		-	offers education leading to an associate ’s degree or higher;
99	93		2. “Non-degree-granting activity” means offering education or
100	94		training that does not lead to an associate’s degree or higher; and
101	95		3. “Religious degree-granting institution ” means an institution
102	96		that is domiciled within the United States or a United States
103	97		district or territory; is exempt from taxation pursuant to the
104	98		provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of
105	99		1986, as amended, 26 U.S.C., Section 501(c)(3) ; and offers education
106	100		leading to an associate’s degree or higher where the purpose,
107	101		content, and name of all degrees offered by the institution meet the
108	102		criteria set forth in paragraphs 1 and 2 of subsection B of Section
109	103		4104 of this title. By offering any degrees not meeting the
110	104		criteria set forth in paragraphs 1 and 2 of subsection B of Section
111	105		4104 of this title, an institution fails to meet the definition of a
112	106		religious degree-granting institution and remains subject to the
113	107		requirements for degree -granting institutions in subsectio n B of
114	108		this section as to those degrees; and
115	109		4. “State authorization reciprocity agreement ” means an
116	110		agreement among states, districts, and ter ritories that establishes
117	111		comparable standards for providing distance education from their
118	112		postsecondary educati onal institutions to out -of-state students.
119	113		B. All private and out -of-state public degree-granting
120	114		institutions shall be accredited by an accrediting agency which is
121		-	SB363 HFLR Page 3
122		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	115	+	recognized by the Secretary of the United States Department of
	116	+	Education as a reliable au thority as to the quality of education or
	117	+
	118	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 363 Page 3 1
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147		-	recognized by the Secretary of the United States Department of
148		-	Education as a reliable authority as to the quality of education or
149	143		training offered by institutions of higher education for the
150	144		purposes of the Higher Education Act of 1 965, as amended, and be
151	145		domiciled within the United States or a United States district or
152	146		territory. Additionally, for the purposes of consumer protection
153	147		and to maintain financial eligibility for Title IV funding as
154	148		described in 34 CFR Part 600, institutions shall be authorized
155	149		according to the policies and procedures established by the Oklahoma
156	150		State Regents for Higher Education. These policies and procedures
157	151		shall be limited to the minimum those necessary to ensure that
158	152		private and out-of-state degree-granting institutions that operate
159	153		in this state by any modality meet the same standards and outcomes
160	154		of academic quality, student consumer protection, and fiscal
161	155		responsibility required for comparable institutions of higher
162	156		education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.
163	157		Beginning with the 2023 -2024 academic year, the State Regents shall:
164	158		1. Establish and collect fees annually from applicants for
165	159		authorization as necessary to cover the costs of authorization;
166	160		2. Require applicants for au thorization to submit payment in an
167	161		amount established by the State Regents into the Tuition Recovery
168	162		Revolving Fund created in Section 2 Section 4103.1 of this act
169	163		title, which shall be used to offset student tuition losses in the
170	164		event an authorized institution closes or ceases operations; and
171		-	SB363 HFLR Page 4
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	165	+	3. Be authorized to deny, not renew, or revoke an institution ’s
	166	+	authorization if it is found to be in violation of the Oklahoma
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	168	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 363 Page 4 1
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197		-	3. Be authorized to deny, not renew, or revoke an institution ’s
198		-	authorization if it is found to be in violation of the Oklahoma
199	193		statutes, it fails to meet the minimum authorization standards
200	194		established by the Stat e Regents, or an accrediting agency or other
201	195		government entity revokes its approval, which is material to the
202	196		continuity of the institution. An institution subject to the
203	197		provisions of this paragraph shall be given reasonable notice and an
204	198		opportunity to be heard prior to a decision to deny, not renew, or
205	199		revoke authorization.
206	200		C. The following institutions shall b e exempt from this
207	201		section:
208	202		1. Private institutions participating in the Oklahoma Tuition
209	203		Equalization Grant program; and
210	204		2. Out-of-state public and private institutions participating
211	205		in a state authorization reciprocity agreement that only conduct
212	206		activities in Oklahoma that are acceptable under the terms and
213	207		conditions of the state authorization reciprocity agreement ;
214	208		3. Religious degree -granting institutions; and
215	209		4. Degree-granting institutions offering in this state only
216	210		degrees meeting the criteria set forth in paragraphs 1 and 2 of
217	211		subsection B of Section 4104 of this title for the offering of
218	212		religious degrees. This exemption shall not apply to any degree
219	213		programs not meeting the criteria for religious degrees set forth in
220	214		paragraphs 1 and 2 of s ubsection B of Section 4104 of this title .
221		-	SB363 HFLR Page 5
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	215	+	D. Non-exempt institutions exclusively engaged in non-degree
	216	+	granting non-degree-granting activities, such as offering
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	218	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 363 Page 5 1
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247		-	D. Non-exempt institutions exclusively engaged in non-degree
248		-	granting non-degree-granting activities, such as offering
249	243		certificates and diplomas, shall be subject to the standards
250	244		administered by the Oklahoma Boa rd of Private Vocational Schools.
251	245		E. The State Regents shall promulgate rules to implement the
252	246		provisions of this section.
253	247		SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 4104, as
254	248		amended by Section 1, Chapter 117, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O. S. Supp. 2024,
255	249		Section 4104), is amended to read as follows:
256	250		Section 4104. A. A private educational institution shall grant
257	251		only those degrees authorized by the Oklahoma State Regents for
258	252		Higher Education unless approved otherwise by a national or region al
259	253		accrediting agency which is recognized by the Secretary of the
260	254		United States Department of Education as a reliable authority as to
261	255		the quality of education or training offered by institutions of
262	256		higher education for the purposes of the Higher Education Act of
263	257		1965, as amended.
264	258		B. 1. This section shall not apply to religious degrees which
265	259		are used solely for religious purposes within a religious
266	260		organization or any institution of higher education whose primary
267	261		sole purpose is to provide religious traini ng or theological
268	262		education and which is exempt from taxation pursuant to the
269	263		provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of
270	264		1986, as amended, 26 U.S.C., Section 501(c)(3).
271		-	SB363 HFLR Page 6
272		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	265	+	2. Each degree title offered pursuant to this subsection shall
	266	+	include a religious modifier. The religious modifier shall be
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	268	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 363 Page 6 1
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297		-	2. Each degree title offered pursuant to this subsection shall
298		-	include a religious modifier. The religious modifier shall be
299	293		placed on the degree, on the transcript, and wherever the title of
300	294		the degree appears in official school documents or publications.
301	295		SECTION 3. This act shall become effective Jul y 1, 2025.
302	296		SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
303	297		of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
304	298		declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
305	299		be in full force from and after it s passage and approval.
	300	+	Passed the Senate the 24th day of March, 2025.
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307		-	COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, dated 04/16/2025 – DO
308		-	PASS.
	302	+
	303	+
	304	+	Presiding Officer of the Senate
	305	+
	306	+
	307	+	Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________,
	308	+	2025.
	309	+
	310	+
	311	+
	312	+	Presiding Officer of the House
	313	+	of Representatives
	314	+