1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 1st Session of the 58th Legislature (2021)
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3 SENATE BILL 237 By: Pemberton
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to tuition aid grants; amending 70
7 O.S. 2011, Section 626.4, which relates to
8 availability of tuition aid grants; removing language
8 directing tuition aid grants to be awarded to all
9 eligible applicants; amending 70 O.S. 2011, Section
9 626.7, which relates to awarding of tuition aid
10 grants; allowing rather than requiring grants to be
10 awarded annually; removing language prohibiting
11 certain increase in maximum grant award; removing
11 language basing award amount on certain federal
12 financial aid regulations; removing language
12 regarding determination of financial need based on
13 certain standards; amending 70 O.S. 2011, Section
13 626.8, which relates to prioritizing participation
14 for tuition aid grants; providing additional factors
14 to be considered; providing an effective date; and
15 declaring an emergency.
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18 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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19 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2011, Section 626.4, is
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20 amended to read as follows:
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21 Section 626.4. State tuition aid grants shall be awarded to all
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22 eligible applicants without any limitation on the number to be
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23 awarded in any year other than the amount of appropriations
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24 available therefor. The institution involved may appropriately
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 1 schedule work to permit recipients to earn the amount of said
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2 tuition grants.
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3 Definitions of full-time and part-time undergraduate and
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4 graduate students shall be established by the Oklahoma State Regents
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5 for Higher Education.
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6 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2011, Section 626.7, is
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7 amended to read as follows:
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8 Section 626.7. A college tuition aid grant shall may be awarded
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9 annually to each eligible, qualified full-time or part-time
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10 undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in a curriculum leading
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11 to a degree or certificate in an institution of collegiate grade or
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12 postsecondary institution providing a program of training to prepare
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13 students for employment in a recognized occupation in Oklahoma
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14 approved or accredited by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
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15 Education or appropriate postsecondary agency in accordance with the
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16 following:
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17 1. Eligibility. Each full-time or part-time resident student
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18 will be eligible to receive a grant in an amount as provided in
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19 paragraph 2 of this section. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
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20 Education shall determine by rules and regulations the maximum
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21 number of semesters a student may be eligible for grants. No
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22 student shall be eligible for grants unless the student maintains
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23 such minimum standards of academic performance as are required by
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24 the institution in which the student is enrolled.
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 1 In the event a student for any reason ceases to continue to be
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2 enrolled during the course of an academic year, the student shall
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3 cease to be eligible for tuition aid.
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4 2. Amount of grant. The amount of tuition aid grant to any
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5 student under this act the Oklahoma Higher Education Tuition Act for
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6 any semester shall represent a percentage not greater than seventy-
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7 five percent (75%) of the tuition and enrollment fees normally
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8 charged to residents of the State of Oklahoma by the institution of
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9 attendance. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall
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10 determine by rules the annual maximum award amount based on an
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11 annual assessment of funds availability. The State Regents shall
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12 not increase the annual maximum award amount unless funding is
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13 sufficient to serve at least the same number of students as the
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14 previous academic year.
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15 For the 2000-2001 academic year and each academic year
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16 thereafter, the percentage of aid shall be based on a need analysis
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17 system that is consistent with federal student financial aid
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18 regulations. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall
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19 set an annual award payment schedule based upon a maximum grant of
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20 seventy-five percent (75%) of tuition and fees with grants based on
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21 lower percentages of tuition and fees being awarded to students who
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22 demonstrate lower financial need.
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23 Any student who receives an award for the 1999-2000 academic
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24 year shall not be denied additional awards because of inability to
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 1 meet the financial standards established in this act as long as
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2 other eligibility criteria continue to be met and as long as the
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3 award status of the student is renewed on an annual basis. The
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4 Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are authorized to
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5 establish procedures to determine the financial need of the student
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6 under the standards used during the 1999-2000 academic year until
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7 the initial degree requirements are met by the student.
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8 Financial assistance received under this act will the Oklahoma
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9 Higher Education Tuition Act shall be considered as part of a
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10 student’s financial aid package.
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11 SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2011, Section 626.8, is
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12 amended to read as follows:
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13 Section 626.8. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
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14 may adopt rules and regulations, prescribe and provide appropriate
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15 forms for application and employ such persons, contract for such
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16 services and make such additional expenditures as may be necessary
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17 or appropriate for effectuating the provisions of this act Section
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18 626.1 et seq. of this title.
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19 The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are hereby
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20 authorized to determine priorities for participation in this tuition
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21 aid program by based upon factors including but not limited to full-
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22 time, or part-time enrollment status, undergraduate and or graduate
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23 students enrollment status, unmet financial need, continuous
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24 enrollment, nearness to completion of a degree or certificate, state
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 1 employment needs, eligibility for other state and institutional
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2 student financial aid and based on available state funding.
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3 SECTION 4. This act shall become effective July 1, 2021.
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4 SECTION 5. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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5 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
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6 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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7 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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9 58-1-695 EB 1/4/2021 1:39:21 PM
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