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 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
3 HOUSE BILL 3379 By: Ranson
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6 AS INTRODUCED
7 An Act relating to higher education; creating the
Higher Education Workforce Development and Fair
8 Admission Act; prohibiting state educational
institutions from inquiring about a prospective
9 student's criminal history on an application form;
permitting inquiry if criminal history includes
10 certain sex-related convictions; permitting inquiries
of a student's criminal conviction history after
11 acceptance for certain purposes; requiring
universities consider certain factors concerning a
12 student's criminal conviction history when making
certain decisions; permitting institutions with
13 teacher preparation programs to consider criminal
conviction history; limiting consideration to
14 offering of counseling; prohibiting institutions from
denying admission to an academic program based solely
15 on criminal conviction history; requiring institution
to offer counseling; permitting institutions to
16 consider criminal conviction history if information
is disclosed through certain applications; providing
17 for noncodification; providing for codification;
providing an effective date; and declaring an
18 emergency.
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22 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
23 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be
24 codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
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1 This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Higher
2 Education Workforce Development and Fair Admission Act".
3 SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
4 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3252 of Title 70, unless there
5 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
6 A. 1. Except as provided in paragraph 2 of this subsection, a
7 state educational institution within The Oklahoma State System of
8 Higher Education shall not inquire about a prospective student's
9 criminal history on an initial application form or at any time
10 during the admissions process prior to the institution's decision
11 relative to the prospective student's acceptance for admission.
12 2. An institution may inquire on an initial application form
13 about a prospective student's criminal conviction history relative
14 to any conviction for a sex-related offense defined in Sections
15 843.5, 1111, 1111.1, 1114, 1116, 1123, and 1173 of Title 21 of the
16 Oklahoma Statutes or a sex-related offense under the laws of another
17 state or under any military, territorial, foreign, tribal, or
18 federal law that is equivalent to any of these offenses. If an
19 institution elects to deny admission based on any such conviction,
20 the institution shall notify the prospective student of the denial
21 based on any such conviction. The prospective student may appeal
22 the decision to the State Regents for Higher Education.
23 B. 1. After a student has been accepted for admission, an
24 institution may make inquiries relative to the student's criminal
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1 conviction history, which shall not be limited to the offenses
2 enumerated in paragraph 2 of subsection A of this section, for the
3 following purposes:
4 a. offering supportive counseling and services, and
5 b. making decisions relative to a student's participation
6 in campus life and determining if the institution will
7 limit such participation.
8 2. An institution may make such inquiries when obtaining
9 secondary information including, but not limited to, information
10 pertaining to immunizations, financial aid, or housing. If an
11 institution elects to make such inquiries, the institution shall
12 consider all of the following:
13 a. the nature and gravity of the criminal conduct and
14 whether it bears a direct relationship to a particular
15 aspect of a student's participation in campus life,
16 including, but not limited to, campus residency and
17 campus activities,
18 b. the time that has passed since the occurrence of the
19 criminal conduct,
20 c. the age of the student at the time of the conduct
21 underlying the criminal conviction, and
22 d. any evidence of rehabilitation or good conduct
23 produced by the student.
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1 3. After a student has been accepted for admission, an
2 institution offering a teacher preparation program may consider
3 criminal conviction history if information pertaining to such
4 history is provided on a professional conduct form for use in the
5 teacher certification process. The purpose of such consideration
6 shall be limited to the offering of counseling as provided for in
7 paragraph 1 of subsection C of this section.
8 C. 1. An institution shall not deny, based solely on criminal
9 conviction history, admission to or continuation in an academic
10 program designed to prepare a student for a career that requires an
11 occupational license or a teaching certificate. The institution
12 shall offer counseling relative to the licensing or certification
13 requirement in order to assist a student in making an informed
14 decision about pursuing such program.
15 2. A state educational institution may consider criminal
16 conviction history if information pertaining to such history is
17 provided on an application that is designed by a national
18 application service, tailored for admission to a specific degree
19 program, and used by postsecondary education institutions in
20 multiple states.
21 SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
22 SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
23 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
2 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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4 60-2-15837 AQH 01/08/26
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Req. No. 15837 Page 5Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.