Senate Bill No. 701 establishes a five-year moratorium on various restrictions related to higher education courses and programs in Oklahoma. The bill specifically targets limitations imposed on several institutions, including Northern Oklahoma College, Connors State College, and Oklahoma State University, among others. These restrictions include prohibitions on offering certain lower and upper division courses, duplicating programs, and geographical limitations on course offerings. The bill allows the State Regents for Higher Education to approve "functional exceptions," which would enable institutions to expand their course offerings to address unmet workforce needs.

The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and includes a declaration of emergency, indicating the immediate necessity for the legislation to preserve public peace, health, or safety. This urgency underscores the importance of adapting higher education offerings to better meet the demands of the workforce and enhance educational access across the state.

Statutes affected:
Amended And Engrossed: 70-4665
Enrolled (final version): 70-4665