An act relating to higher education, the official text

STATE OF OKLAHOMA

1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)

HOUSE BILL 2273           By: Miller

                                     AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to higher education; creating the
Oklahoma Department of Transportation Educational
Assistance Act; defining terms; establishing grant
program for eligible students; providing criteria for
eligibility; providing criteria to maintain
eligibility; requiring repayment under certain
circumstances; permitting both public and private
funding of program; directing the Oklahoma
Transportation Commission to promulgate rules;
creating the Oklahoma Department of Transportation
Educational Assistance Revolving Fund; providing for
codification; providing an effective date; and
declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

SECTION 1.       NEW LAW  A new section of law to be codified

in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3234 of Title 70, unless there

is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:

A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Oklahoma

Department of Transportation Educational Assistance Act".

B. As used in this act:

1. "Commission" means the Oklahoma Transportation Commission;

2. "Department" means the Oklahoma Department of Transportation;

Req. No. 10195                                             Page 1
       3. "Eligible degree" means a baccalaureate degree from an
institution in a field of study that satisfies the Department's
minimum education requirement for an eligible profession;

       4. "Eligible profession" means a line of work as defined by
rule for which the Department determines there is a need in the
Department's workforce;

       5. "Eligible Student" means a person who:
                a. is at least eighteen years of age,
                b. has a high school diploma or who has completed General
                         Educational Development (GED) requirements,
                c. is an Oklahoma resident, and
                d. is enrolled in an Oklahoma educational institution;

       6. "Graduate program" means a program offered by an Oklahoma
educational institution that leads to the award of a master's or
doctorate degree;

       7. "Oklahoma educational institution" means an institution of
higher education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher
Education;

       8. "Undergraduate program" means a program offered by an
Oklahoma educational institution that leads to the award of an
associate's or baccalaureate degree;

       9. "Workforce development grant program" means the Oklahoma
Department of Transportation Educational Assistance Program
established pursuant to the provisions of this section.

Req. No. 10195  Page 2
       C. There is hereby created the Oklahoma Department of
Transportation Educational Assistance Program to provide assistance
to eligible students who enroll in an Oklahoma educational
institution and who agree to work for the Department in an eligible
profession for the five (5) years immediately following the date of
the eligible student's receipt of an eligible degree. The
Commission shall prescribe criteria for the selection of applicants
under this act. Subject to the availability of funds, the amount of
assistance shall be equivalent to the amount of resident tuition,
mandatory fees, and academic service fees for courses in which the
eligible student is enrolled, not to exceed a maximum of eighteen
(18) credit hours each semester.

       1. The total amount of assistance provided to an eligible
student enrolled in an undergraduate program shall not exceed a
maximum of one hundred twenty (120) credit hours in pursuit of an
associate's or baccalaureate degree;

       2. Subject to the assistance for eligible students enrolled in
undergraduate programs being fully funded, assistance shall be
provided to an eligible student with a baccalaureate degree enrolled
in a graduate program. The total amount of assistance provided to
an eligible student enrolled in a graduate program shall not exceed
the number of hours required for the completion of a master's
degree;

Req. No. 10195  Page 3
       3. Assistance provided pursuant to this section shall be
granted without any limitation other than the amount of funds
available for the workforce development grant program and the number
of eligible students who apply and are selected;

       4. No assistance or reimbursement will be provided by the
Department for failed course.

       D. 1. To be eligible to apply for the workforce development
grant program, an eligible student shall complete and file with the
Department, on forms prescribed by the Department, a workforce
development grant program application and a declaration of intent to
obtain an eligible degree and work for the Department for the five
(5) years immediately following the date of the eligible student's
receipt of an eligible degree;

       2. To retain eligibility for the grant program, an eligible
student shall:

                a. maintain good academic standing and satisfactory
                         academic progress according to standards of the
                         Oklahoma educational institution in which the eligible
                         student is enrolled,

                b. maintain the requirements for retention and degree
                         completion as established by the Oklahoma educational
                         institution in which the eligible student is enrolled,
                         and

Req. No. 10195  Page 4
                c. maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0
                         scale;

       3. An eligible student seeking assistance pursuant to the
provisions of this section shall submit an application on a form
prescribed by the Department prior to each semester for which
assistance is sought; and

       4. The eligible student may be denied continued assistance if
the eligible student fails to comply with the provisions of this
act.

       E. Repayment of a workforce development grant.
       1. The Commission may establish conditions under which an
eligible student who has received a grant may be required to repay
all or part of the grant because the student has withdrawn from or
dropped out of the student's institution or has otherwise failed to
maintain eligibility for the grant;
       2. A student who does not obtain an eligible degree and work
for the Department for the five (5) years immediately following the
date of the eligible student's receipt of an eligible degree must
repay all grants received by the eligible student under this
section;
       3. An eligible student who has received assistance pursuant to
the provisions of this workforce development grant program and who
fails to comply with the provisions of this act due to hardship
circumstances may request a waiver from repayment;

Req. No. 10195  Page 5
4. Repayments shall be deposited into the Oklahoma Department

of Transportation Educational Assistance Revolving Fund created

pursuant to Section 2 of this act; and

5. The Commission shall establish a schedule for installment

payments under this section.

F. The Department may accept gifts and grants from any public

or private source for the grant program and may also use for that

purpose available money credited to the state highway program. All

funding received by the Department for this purpose shall be

transferred to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation Educational

Assistance Revolving Fund.

G. The Oklahoma Transportation Commission shall promulgate

rules to implement the provisions of this act.

SECTION 2.      NEW LAW       A new section of law to be codified

in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3235 of Title 70, unless there

is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:

There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund

to be designated the "Oklahoma Department of Transportation

Educational Assistance Revolving Fund". The fund shall be a

continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall

consist of monies received by the Department and allocated for the

grant program. All monies accruing to the credit of the fund are

hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the Oklahoma

Department of Transportation for the purpose of providing assistance

Req. No. 10195                                                Page 6
to eligible students pursuant to the provisions of Section 1 of this
act. Expenditures from the fund shall be made upon warrants issued
by the State Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by law
with the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise
Services for approval and payment.

       SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
       SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.

60-1-10195      AQH  12/10/24

Req. No. 10195                 Page 7