Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
3 HOUSE BILL 2257 By: Miller
4
5
6 AS INTRODUCED
7 An Act relating to higher education; amending 70 O.S.
2021, Section 3231, which relates to the Oklahoma
8 National Guard Educational Assistance Act; including
program fees; requiring joint approval of fees;
9 authorizing cap; requiring certain specialty to
retain eligibility; authorizing Military Department
10 to promulgate regulations; requiring collaboration on
rules; and providing an effective date.
11
12
13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
14 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 3231, is
15 amended to read as follows:
16 Section 3231. A. This act shall be known and may be cited as
17 the "Oklahoma National Guard Educational Assistance Act".
18 B. As used in this act:
19 1. "Oklahoma educational institution" means an institution of
20 higher education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher
21 Education;
22 2. "Eligible Guard member" means a current member of the
23 Oklahoma National Guard in good standing who has a high school
24 diploma or who has completed General Educational Development (GED)
Req. No. 10135 Page 1
1 requirements and who has secured admission to and enrolled in an
2 Oklahoma educational institution;
3 3. "Graduate program" means a program offered by an Oklahoma
4 educational institution that leads to the award of a master's
5 degree;
6 4. "Program" means the Oklahoma National Guard Educational
7 Assistance Program established pursuant to the provisions of this
8 section; and
9 5. "Undergraduate program" means a program offered by an
10 Oklahoma educational institution that leads to the award of an
11 associate's degree or a baccalaureate degree.
12 C. There is hereby created the Oklahoma National Guard
13 Educational Assistance Program to provide assistance to eligible
14 Guard members who enroll in an Oklahoma educational institution.
15 Subject to the availability of funds, the amount of assistance shall
16 be equivalent to the amount of resident tuition, and approved
17 mandatory fees, program fees, and academic service fees, and any
18 other fees for courses in which the eligible Guard member is
19 enrolled, not to exceed a maximum of eighteen (18) credit hours each
20 semester. The amount of mandatory fees, program fees, academic
21 service fees, and any other fees shall be jointly reviewed and
22 approved by the State Regents for Higher Education and the Military
23 Department of the State of Oklahoma before a determination to pay
24 the fees is made.
Req. No. 10135 Page 2
1 1. The amount of assistance provided to an eligible Guard
2 member enrolled in an undergraduate program shall not exceed a
3 maximum of one hundred twenty (120) credit hours in pursuit of an
4 associate's degree and/or a baccalaureate degree.
5 2. Subject to the assistance for eligible Guard members
6 enrolled in undergraduate programs being fully funded, assistance
7 shall be provided to an eligible Guard member with a baccalaureate
8 degree enrolled in a graduate program. The amount of assistance
9 provided to an eligible Guard member enrolled in a graduate program
10 shall not exceed a maximum of forty (40) credit hours in pursuit of
11 a master's degree.
12 3. Assistance provided pursuant to this section shall be
13 granted without any limitation other than the amount of funds
14 available for the Program and the number of eligible Guard members
15 who apply subject to any cap established by the Military Department.
16 4. Assistance allowed by this section shall not be allowed for
17 courses taken in excess of the requirements for completion of an
18 undergraduate program or a graduate program, whichever is applicable
19 for the eligible Guard member.
20 D. Assistance provided pursuant to this section shall be
21 allocated to the Oklahoma educational institution from the Oklahoma
22 National Guard Educational Assistance Revolving Fund created
23 pursuant to Section 2 3232 of this act title.
24
Req. No. 10135 Page 3
1 E. To be eligible to apply for the Program, an eligible Guard
2 member shall:
3 1. Have at least one (1) year remaining on his or her
4 enlistment contract at the beginning of any semester for which the
5 member applies for assistance pursuant to this section;
6 2. Agree in writing to complete his or her current service
7 obligation in the Oklahoma National Guard; and
8 3. Agree in writing to serve actively in good standing with the
9 Oklahoma National Guard for not less than twenty-four (24) months
10 after completion of the last semester for which the member receives
11 assistance pursuant to this section.
12 F. To retain eligibility for the Program, an eligible Guard
13 member shall:
14 1. Maintain good academic standing and satisfactory academic
15 progress according to standards of the Oklahoma educational
16 institution in which the member is enrolled;
17 2. Maintain the requirements for retention and degree
18 completion as established by the Oklahoma educational institution in
19 which the member is enrolled;
20 3. Maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0
21 scale; and
22 4. Maintain satisfactory participation in the Oklahoma National
23 Guard; and
24
Req. No. 10135 Page 4
1 5. Possess a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) or Air Force
2 Specialty Code (AFSC) after his or her first semester.
3 G. An eligible Guard member seeking assistance pursuant to the
4 provisions of this section shall submit an application on a form
5 prescribed by the Military Department of the State of Oklahoma to
6 the Educational Service Office of the Military Department prior to
7 the semester for which assistance is sought. The Military
8 Department may establish a cap on the number of students per program
9 per semester to approve. The eligible Guard member's Commander or
10 his or her designee shall confirm a member's standing and
11 eligibility to the Oklahoma educational institution in which the
12 student is enrolled.
13 H. The eligible Guard member's Commander may deny an
14 application submitted by an eligible Guard member for continued
15 Program assistance if he or she fails to comply with the provisions
16 of paragraph 1, 2, or 3 of subsection F of this section.
17 I. An eligible Guard member who has received Program assistance
18 pursuant to the provisions of this section and who fails to comply
19 with the provisions of paragraph 4 of subsection F of this section
20 shall be required to repay an amount to be calculated as follows:
21 1. Determine the total amount of assistance provided pursuant
22 to the provisions of this section;
23 2. Divide the amount determined in paragraph 1 of this
24 subsection by twenty-four (24); and
Req. No. 10135 Page 5
1 3. Multiply the amount determined in paragraph 2 of this
2 subsection by the number of months the member did not fulfill the
3 requirements of paragraph 4 of subsection F of this section.
4 Repayments shall be deposited into the Oklahoma National Guard
5 Educational Assistance Revolving Fund created pursuant to Section 2
6 3232 of this act title.
7 J. An eligible Guard member who has received Program assistance
8 pursuant to the provisions of this section and who fails to comply
9 with the provisions of paragraph 4 of subsection F of this section
10 due to hardship circumstances may request a waiver from repayment.
11 A waiver request shall be submitted in writing to the Adjutant
12 General.
13 K. By July 1 annually, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
14 Education shall notify the Adjutant General of the amount of funding
15 available in the Oklahoma National Guard Educational Assistance
16 Revolving Fund created pursuant to Section 2 3232 of this act title.
17 L. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall
18 promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this act including
19 deadlines for submission of applications required by subsection G of
20 this section. The Military Department of the State of Oklahoma
21 shall promulgate regulations pertaining to the application process
22 and the determination of eligibility for the assistance program.
23 The State Regents for Higher Education and Military Department shall
24 coordinate the promulgation of rules and regulations to ensure
Req. No. 10135 Page 6
1 compatibility. The Adjutant General may promulgate regulations to
2 implement the provisions of this act.
3 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
4
5 60-1-10135 AQH 12/17/24
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Req. No. 10135 Page 7Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.