OK
Oklahoma Senate Bill SB406

Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB406 Compare Versions

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5353 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
5454
5555 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
5656
5757 SENATE BILL 406 By: Brooks
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6363 AS INTRODUCED
6464
6565 An Act relating to the Oklahoma Higher Learning
6666 Access Program; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 2605,
6767 as last amended by Section 2, Chapte r 274, O.S.L.
6868 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 2605), which
6969 relates to public awareness for the program;
7070 directing certain designated individuals to annually
7171 evaluate students in certain grades based on certain
7272 program eligibility criteria; directing the
7373 designated individual to make certain students and
7474 their parents aware of certain opportunity; updating
7575 statutory references; providing an effective date;
7676 and declaring an emergency .
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8181 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
8282 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 2605, as
8383 last amended by Section 2, Chapter 274, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp.
8484 2024, Section 2605), is amended to read as follows:
8585 Section 2605. A. Each school year, every fifth - through
8686 eleventh-grade student in the public and private schools of this
8787 state and students w ho are educated by other means and are in the
8888 equivalent of the fifth through eleventh grade shall be apprised,
8989 together with the parent, custodial parent, or guardian of the
9090 student, of the opportunity for access to higher learning under the
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142142 Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program. The Oklahoma State Regents
143143 for Higher Education and the State Board of Education shall develop,
144144 promote, and coordinate a public awareness program to be utilized in
145145 making students and parents aware of the Oklahoma Higher Learn ing
146146 Access Program.
147147 B. 1. On a form provided by the Oklahoma State Regents for
148148 Higher Education, every public school district shall designate at
149149 least one Oklahoma Higher Learn ing Access Program contact person,
150150 who shall be a counselor or teacher, at each public school site in
151151 this state in which eighth -, ninth-, tenth-, or eleventh-grade
152152 classes are taught. When requested by the State Regents, the State
153153 Board of Education shal l assist the State Regents to ensure the
154154 designation of contact persons. Priv ate schools shall also
155155 designate at least one school official as a contact person. For
156156 students who are educated by other means, a parent or guardian or
157157 other person approved by the State Regents shall be designated the
158158 contact person.
159159 2. The individual designated as an Oklahoma Higher Learning
160160 Access Program contact person pursuant to paragraph 1 of this
161161 subsection at each school district in this state shall annually
162162 evaluate students in eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade based
163163 on the program eligibility criteria set forth in subparagraphs a
164164 through d of paragraph 1 of subsection C of this section. The
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216216 contact person shall make potentially eligible students and their
217217 parents aware of the opportunity to participate in the program.
218218 C. 1. Students who qualify on the basis of financial need
219219 according to subsection D or E of this section or who meet the
220220 eligibility qualification set forth in subparagraph a of paragraph 1
221221 of subsection B of Section 2603 of this title prior to entering the
222222 eleventh grade or prior to reaching the age of sixteen (16) and the
223223 standards and provisions promulgated by the Oklahoma State Regents
224224 for Higher Education shall be given the opportunity throu ghout the
225225 eighth-, ninth-, tenth-, and eleventh-grade years, for students
226226 enrolled in a public or private school, or between the ages of
227227 thirteen (13) and sixteen (16), for students who are educated by
228228 other means, to enter into participation in the progra m by agreeing
229229 to, throughout the remainder of their school years or educationa l
230230 program:
231231 a. attend school or an educational program regularly and
232232 do homework regularly,
233233 b. refrain from substance abuse,
234234 c. refrain from commission of crimes or delinquent act s,
235235 d. have school work and school records reviewed by
236236 mentors designated pursuant to the program,
237237 e. provide information requested by the Oklahoma State
238238 Regents for Higher Education or the State Board of
239239 Education, and
240240
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291291 f. participate in program activities.
292292 2. Students who meet the eligibility qualification set forth in
293293 subparagraph a of paragraph 1 of subsection B of Section 2603 of
294294 this title after completing the eleventh grade or after reaching the
295295 age of seventeen (17) shall be given the opportunity pri or to
296296 reaching the age of twenty -one (21) to enter into participation in
297297 the program and shall execute an agreement with provisions as
298298 determined by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
299299 3. The contact person shall maintain the agreements, whic h
300300 shall be executed on forms provided by the Oklahoma State Regents
301301 for Higher Education and managed according to regulations
302302 promulgated by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, and
303303 the contact person shall monitor compliance of the student wit h the
304304 terms of the agreement. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
305305 Education are authorized to process student agreements and verify
306306 compliance with the agreements. Students failing to comply with the
307307 terms of the agreement shall not be eligible for the awards provided
308308 in Section 2604 of this title.
309309 D. Except as otherwise provid ed for in subsection E of this
310310 section and except for students who qualify pursuant to subsection B
311311 of Section 2603 of this title, a student shall not be found to be in
312312 financial need for purposes of the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access
313313 Program if:
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365365 1. Beginning with eighth -, ninth-, or tenth-grade students who
366366 are enrolled in a public or private school or students between the
367367 ages of thirteen (13) and fifteen (15) who are educated by other
368368 means who apply for participation in the program in the 2017 -2018
369369 school year, the federal adjusted gross income of the student ’s
370370 parent(s) exceeds Fifty -five Thousand Dollars ($55,000.00) per year;
371371 2. Beginning with eighth -, ninth-, tenth-, or eleventh-grade
372372 students who are enrolled in a public or private school or students
373373 between the ages of thirteen (13) and sixteen (16) who are educated
374374 by other means who apply for participation in the program in the
375375 2021-2022 school year, the federal adjus ted gross income of the
376376 student’s parent(s) exceeds Sixty Thousand Dollars ($6 0,000.00) per
377377 year;
378378 3. Beginning with eighth -, ninth-, tenth-, or eleventh-grade
379379 students who are enrolled in a public or private school or students
380380 between the ages of thirteen (13) and sixteen (16) who are educated
381381 by other means who apply for participation in the program in the
382382 2022-2023 school year:
383383 a. the federal adjusted gross income of the student ’s
384384 parent(s), who have two or fewer dependent children,
385385 exceeds Sixty Thousan d Dollars ($60,000.00) per year,
386386 b. the federal adjusted gross income of the s tudent’s
387387 parent(s), who have three or four dependent children,
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439439 exceeds Seventy Thousand Dollars ($70,000.00) per
440440 year, or
441441 c. the federal adjusted gross income of the student ’s
442442 parent(s), who have five or more dependent children,
443443 exceeds Eighty Thousand Dollars ($80,000.00) per year;
444444 4. Beginning with the 2018 -2019 academic year, prior to
445445 receiving any Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program benefit award
446446 for any year during which the student is enrolled in an institution
447447 which is a member of The Oklahoma S tate System of Higher Education,
448448 a postsecondary vocational -technical program offered by a technology
449449 center school that meets the requirements to be eligible for federal
450450 student financial aid, or a private institution of higher learning
451451 located within this state and accredited pursuant to Section 4103 of
452452 this title, the federal adjusted gross income of the student ’s
453453 parent(s) exceeds One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) per
454454 year.
455455 The determination of financial qualification as set forth in
456456 this paragraph shall be based on the income of the student, not the
457457 income of the parent(s), if a student:
458458 a. is determined to be independent of the student ’s
459459 parents for federal financial aid purposes,
460460 b. was in the permanent custody of the Department of
461461 Human Services at the time the student enrolled in the
462462 program, or
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514514 c. was in the court-ordered custody of a federally
515515 recognized Indian tribe, as defined by the federal
516516 Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, at the time the
517517 student enrolled in the program.
518518 The provisions of this paragraph shall apply to any student who
519519 has received an Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program benefit
520520 award after the 2017 -2018 school year; and
521521 5. The Oklahoma Stat e Regents for Higher Education shall review
522522 the determination of financial qualification as set forth in
523523 paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 of this subsection if the income from taxable
524524 and nontaxable sources of the student ’s parent(s) includes income
525525 received from nontaxable military benefits or income received from
526526 the federal Social Security Administration due to the death or
527527 disability of the student ’s parent(s). If the income from taxable
528528 and nontaxable sources of the student ’s parent(s), excluding income
529529 received from nontaxable military benefits or income received from
530530 the federal Social Security Administration due to the death or
531531 disability of the student ’s parent(s), does not exceed the
532532 limitations set forth by paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 of this subsection,
533533 the student shall be determined to have met the financial
534534 qualification set forth in paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 of this
535535 subsection.
536536 E. 1. A student who was adopted between birth and twelve (12)
537537 years of age while in the permanent custody of the Department of
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589589 Human Services, in the court -ordered custody of a licensed private
590590 nonprofit child-placing agency, or federally recognized Indian
591591 tribe, as defined by the federal Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978,
592592 shall not be found to be in financial need for purposes of the
593593 Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program if at the time the student
594594 begins postsecondary education and prior to receiving any Oklahoma
595595 Higher Learning Access Program benefit award, the federal adjusted
596596 gross income of the student ’s parent(s) exceeds One Hund red Fifty
597597 Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00) per year. The provisions of this
598598 paragraph shall not apply to any student who has received an
599599 Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program benefit award prior to the
600600 2012-2013 school year.
601601 2. A student who was adopted between thirteen (13) and
602602 seventeen (17) years of age while in the permanent c ustody of the
603603 Department of Human Services, in the court -ordered custody of a
604604 licensed private nonprofit child -placing agency, or federally
605605 recognized Indian tribe, as defined by the federal Indian Child
606606 Welfare Act of 1978, shall not be found to be in financial need for
607607 purposes of the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program if at the
608608 time the student begins postsecondary education and prior to
609609 receiving any Oklahoma Higher Learn ing Access Program benefit award,
610610 the federal adjusted gross income of the stu dent’s parent(s) exceeds
611611 Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) per year. The provisions
612612 of this paragraph shall not apply to any student who has received an
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664664 Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program benefit award prior to the
665665 2012-2013 school year.
666666 3. A student who was placed in the custody of the Department of
667667 Human Services at any time during the eighth, ninth, tenth, or
668668 eleventh grades and enrolls in the program no later t han his or her
669669 official date of high school graduation shall not be found to b e in
670670 financial need for purposes of the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access
671671 Program if the federal adjusted gross income of the student exceeds
672672 Sixty Thousand Dollars ($60,000.00) pe r year.
673673 4. Except for students who qualify pursuant to subsection B of
674674 Section 2603 of this title, the determination of financial
675675 qualification as set forth in this subsection shall be based on the
676676 income of the student, not the income of the parent(s), i f the
677677 student is determined to be independent of the student ’s parent(s)
678678 for federal financial aid purposes. A determination of financial
679679 qualification shall not be required for the student who meets the
680680 criteria set forth in this subsection at the time t he student
681681 applies for participation in the program. The provisions of this
682682 paragraph shall not apply to any student who has received an
683683 Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program benefit award prior to the
684684 2008-2009 school year.
685685 F. The financial qualificat ion of a student as set forth in
686686 subsections D and E of this section shall be certified by the
687687 contact person or by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
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739739 on the agreement form provided by the Oklahoma State Regents for
740740 Higher Education. The form shall be retained in the permanent
741741 record of the student and a copy forwarded to the Oklahoma State
742742 Regents for Higher Education.
743743 G. Agreements shall be witnessed by the parent, custodial
744744 parent, or guardian of the student, who shall further agree to:
745745 1. Assist the student in achieving compliance with the
746746 agreements;
747747 2. Confer, when requested to do so, with the school contact
748748 person, other school personnel, and program mentors;
749749 3. Provide information requested by the Oklahoma State Regents
750750 for Higher Education or the State Board of Education; and
751751 4. Assist the student in completing forms and reports required
752752 for program participation, making applications to institutions and
753753 schools of higher learning, and filing applications for student
754754 grants and scholarships.
755755 H. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall
756756 promulgate rules for the determination of student compliance with
757757 agreements made pursuant to this section.
758758 I. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall
759759 designate personnel to coordinate tracking of program records for
760760 the years when students participating in the program are still in
761761 the schools or are being educated by other means, provide staff
762762 development for contact persons in the schools, and provide liaison
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814814 with the State Board of Education and local organizations and
815815 individuals participating in t he program.
816816 J. The school district where an Oklahoma Higher Learning Access
817817 Program student is enrolled when the student begins participation in
818818 the program and any subsequent s chool district where the student
819819 enrolls shall forward information regarding participation by the
820820 student in the program to a school to which the student transfers
821821 upon the request of the school for the records of the student.
822822 K. Students participating in the Oklahoma Higher Learning
823823 Access Program shall provide their Social Securi ty number or their
824824 student identification number used by their school to the Oklahoma
825825 State Regents for Higher Education. The State Regents shall keep
826826 the numbers confidential a nd use them only for administrative
827827 purposes.
828828 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
829829 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
830830 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
831831 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
832832 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
833833
834834 60-1-323 EB 1/7/2025 7:35:40 AM