An act relating to higher education, the official text

1                            STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2                2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)

3 HOUSE BILL 3709            By: Caldwell (Chad)

4

5

6                            AS INTRODUCED

7   An Act relating to higher education; requiring state

    educational institutions fund a general maintenance

8   fund when constructing new buildings; providing

    permissible uses for a general maintenance fund;

9   directing the State Regents for Higher Education to

    withhold state-appropriated funds for failure to

10  comply; requiring the State Regents to conduct annual

    audits for compliance; providing for codification;

11  providing an effective date; and declaring an

    emergency.

12

13

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

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

16 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 4316 of Title 70, unless there

17 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:

18  A. Any state educational institution within The Oklahoma State

19 System of Higher Education that constructs any building shall place

20 an amount equal to five percent (5%) of the total construction costs

21 in a general maintenance fund maintained by the state educational

22 institution.

23  B. The general maintenance fund shall be utilized for general

24 upkeep or maintenance of buildings owned by the state educational

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1 institution. The funds placed in the general maintenance fund shall

2 not be limited or earmarked for the new construction which caused

3 the funds to be placed in the fund.

4   C. The funds required to be placed in a general maintenance

5 fund by subsection A of this section shall be in addition to all

6 other funds the state educational institution already allocates to a

7 general maintenance fund and shall not supplant or replace existing

8 funding levels.

9   D. The State Regents for Higher Education shall withhold all

10 state-appropriated funds from any state educational institution

11 which fails to comply with subsection A of this section until the

12 state educational institution comes into compliance with subsection

13 A of this section. The State Regents shall conduct annual audits of

14 state educational institutions to ensure compliance with this

15 section.

16  SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.

17  SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation

18 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby

19 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and

20 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.

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22  60-2-15073      AQH  01/08/26

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