Bill No. 140 amends the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP) to update eligibility criteria and age limits for student participation. Key changes include allowing students to enter the program no later than December 31 of their twelfth-grade year, rather than prior to entering the eleventh grade, and raising the age limit for eligibility from sixteen to seventeen. Additionally, students who qualify based on financial need can now participate between the ages of thirteen and seventeen, and those who meet eligibility after their twelfth-grade year can join before turning twenty-one. The bill also introduces provisions for exceptions to age limits due to hardship circumstances, with specific conditions outlined for eligibility.

The bill further specifies income eligibility thresholds for financial need, adjusting these limits based on the number of dependent children in a household. It mandates that the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education develop rules for compliance monitoring and record-keeping related to student agreements. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and includes an emergency clause for immediate implementation upon passage and approval.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 70-2605
Floor (Senate): 70-2605
Engrossed: 70-2605