1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024)
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3 SENATE BILL 1550 By: Green
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to higher education; amending 70 O.S.
7 2021, Section 3230.1, which relates to creation of
8 the Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate
8 Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Advisory Committee;
9 changing name of Committee; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
9 Section 3230.2, which relates to membership of the
10 Committee; adding member to Committee; amending 70
10 O.S. 2021, Section 3230.3, which relates to duties
11 and responsibilities of the Committee; modifying and
11 adding duties and responsibilities; amending 70 O.S.
12 2021, Section 3230.4, which relates to the
12 Committee’s submission of an annual report; allowing
13 report to be submitted on a date determined by
13 certain chair; updating statutory language; providing
14 an effective date; and declaring an emergency.
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17 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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18 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 3230.1, is
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19 amended to read as follows:
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20 Section 3230.1. A. There is hereby created the Oklahoma
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21 Experimental Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research
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22 (EPSCoR) Advisory Committee to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
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23 Education. The Committee shall be advisory in nature and shall
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24 provide recommendations on EPSCoR programs to the State Regents,
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 1 which is the funding agency for the state share of matching
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2 requirements for EPSCoR initiatives.
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3 B. The purpose of the Committee shall be, through a partnership
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4 of higher education institutions, independent research entities,
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5 industry, and state government, to enhance scientific and
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6 engineering research and development conducted at universities
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7 higher education institutions in the this state and thereby to
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8 enhance the success of Oklahoma researchers in federal award
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9 competitions.
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10 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 3230.2, is
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11 amended to read as follows:
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12 Section 3230.2. A. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
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13 Education shall appoint members to the Oklahoma EPSCoR Advisory
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14 Committee that may include:
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15 1. Representatives of the state’s universities and colleges
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16 higher education institutions;
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17 2. Representatives of private research entities located in
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18 Oklahoma;
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19 3. Representatives of private business;
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20 4. Residents of Oklahoma this state whose contribution will
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21 enhance the goals of the Committee; and
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22 5. A representative of the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement
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23 of Science and Technology; and
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 1 6. A representative from the pre-kindergarten through twelfth
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2 grade education system.
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3 B. The membership of the Committee shall also include:
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4 1. One member of the Governor’s staff to be appointed by the
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5 Governor;
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6 2. One member of the State Senate to be appointed by the
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7 President Pro Tempore of the Senate; and
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8 3. One member of the House of Representatives to be appointed
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9 by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
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10 C. The State Regents shall ensure that the membership of the
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11 Committee complies with requirements and guidelines of the
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12 appropriate federal agencies.
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13 D. Members of the Committee shall not receive compensation for
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14 serving on the Committee, but may receive travel reimbursement as
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15 follows:
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16 1. Legislative members of the Committee may be reimbursed for
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17 their necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of their
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18 duties in accordance with Section 456 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma
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19 Statutes from the legislative body in which they serve;
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20 2. State agency employees who are members of the Committee
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21 shall be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred in the performance
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22 of their duties by their respective agencies in accordance with the
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23 State Travel Reimbursement Act; and
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 1 3. All other Committee members may be reimbursed for travel
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2 expenses incurred in the performance of their duties by the Oklahoma
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3 State Regents for Higher Education in accordance with the State
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4 Travel Reimbursement Act.
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5 SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 3230.3, is
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6 amended to read as follows:
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7 Section 3230.3. A. The Oklahoma EPSCoR Advisory Committee
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8 shall recommend to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
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9 EPSCoR research projects requiring state matching funds and other
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10 research and systemic initiatives as requested by the State Regents.
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11 B. The Committee shall have the duty and responsibility of to:
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12 1. Promoting Promote cooperative research efforts among public
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13 and private universities higher education institutions in Oklahoma
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14 this state;
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15 2. Promoting private sector involvement in university research
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16 and encouraging technology transfer;
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17 3. Promoting human resource development in science and
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18 engineering within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education;
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19 4. Selecting Select specific research projects for submission
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20 in response to solicitations by EPSCoR Programs administered by
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21 federal agencies, which include but are not limited to the National
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22 Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, the Environmental
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23 Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, the Department of
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24 Commerce, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the
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 1 United States Department of Agriculture, and the National Institutes
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2 of Health, (NIH), including the NIH IDeA Program for which a limited
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3 number of projects may be submitted by the State of Oklahoma this
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4 state;
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5 5. Appointing
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6 3. Appoint the Oklahoma State EPSCoR Director; and
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7 4. Aid in the assessment of the total EPSCoR-related
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8 jurisdictional research ecosystem present in this state;
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9 5. As needed, provide assistance or guidance in other
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10 activities that may relate to EPSCoR work in this state;
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11 6. Collaborate with relevant entities to provide input into the
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12 development of a science and technology plan for this state; and
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13 Undertaking
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14 7. Undertake other efforts as appropriate.
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15 SECTION 4. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 3230.4, is
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16 amended to read as follows:
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17 Section 3230.4. The Oklahoma EPSCoR Advisory Committee shall
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18 submit by July 1, 2001, and each July 1 thereafter, an annual report
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19 of its activities for the preceding year to the Oklahoma State
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20 Regents for Higher Education by July 1, each year, or by another
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21 date as determined by the chair of the Committee.
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22 SECTION 5. This act shall become effective July 1, 2024.
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23 SECTION 6. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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24 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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 1 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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2 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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4 59-2-2801 EB 1/3/2024 4:55:40 PM
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