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
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2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
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3 SENATE BILL 1593 By: Gollihare
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to higher education; amending 70 O.S.
7 2021, Section 4663, as amended by Section 1, Chapter
8 230, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 4663),
8 which relates to the Board of Trustees for Oklahoma
9 State University/Tulsa; removing requirement for the
9 Board to promulgate certain rules and enact certain
10 policies; removing outdated language; removing
10 language regarding presidential search process;
11 providing an effective date; and declaring an
11 emergency.
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14 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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15 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 4663, as
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16 amended by Section 1, Chapter 230, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025,
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17 Section 4663), is amended to read as follows:
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18 Section 4663. A. On January 1, 1999, there shall be created
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19 the Board of Trustees for Oklahoma State University/Tulsa which
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20 shall consist of seven members who reside in Tulsa County or
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21 contiguous counties, one member of the Board of Regents for the
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22 Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges (A&M Board) who shall
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23 reside in the First Congressional District, and one member who shall
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24 be appointed by the chair of the A&M Board. The member of the A&M
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Req. No. 2936 Page 1
1 Board and the member appointed by the chair of the A&M Board shall
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2 serve as voting, ex officio members. For purposes of serving on the
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3 Board of Trustees, the member of the A&M Board and the member
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4 appointed by the chair of the A&M Board who are appointed to the
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5 Board of Trustees shall not be subject to the dual office holding
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6 restrictions in Section 6 of Title 51 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The
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7 Governor shall appoint the other members of the Board of Trustees
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8 with the advice and consent of the Senate. The members shall be
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9 appointed to numbered positions with staggered terms to expire as
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10 provided in this section. Successors to the initial board members
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11 shall serve seven-year terms that shall expire on June 30 of the
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12 seventh year following appointment. Vacancies on the Board shall be
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13 filled for the unexpired term by the Governor with the advice and
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14 consent of the Senate. The member of the A&M Board who resides in
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15 the First Congressional District shall hold position number eight.
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16 The member appointed by the chair of the A&M Board shall hold
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17 position number nine. The numbered positions and terms shall be as
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18 follows:
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19 1. Position No. 1: The term of office of one member shall
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20 expire on the 30th day of June, 2000, and each seven (7) years
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21 thereafter;
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22 2. Position No. 2: The term of office of one member shall
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23 expire on the 30th day of June, 2001, and each seven (7) years
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24 thereafter;
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Req. No. 2936 Page 2
1 3. Position No. 3: The term of office of one member shall
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2 expire on the 30th day of June, 2002, and each seven (7) years
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3 thereafter;
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4 4. Position No. 4: The term of office of one member shall
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5 expire on the 30th day of June, 2003, and each seven (7) years
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6 thereafter;
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7 5. Position No. 5: The term of office of one member shall
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8 expire on the 30th day of June, 2004, and each seven (7) years
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9 thereafter;
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10 6. Position No. 6: The term of office of one member shall
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11 expire on the 30th day of June, 2005, and each seven (7) years
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12 thereafter;
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13 7. Position No. 7: The term of office of one member shall
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14 expire on the 30th day of June, 2006, and each seven (7) years
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15 thereafter;
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16 8. Position No. 8: The term of office shall coincide with the
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17 member's term on the A&M Board; and
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18 9. Position No. 9: The term of office shall be at the
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19 direction of the chair of the A&M Board.
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20 B. The Board of Trustees shall be a body corporate and shall
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21 adopt and use an official seal. The Board shall elect a chair, vice
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22 chair, and secretary annually, each of whom shall serve for a term
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23 of one fiscal year and until a successor is elected and qualified,
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24 and who shall perform such duties as the Board directs. The Board
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Req. No. 2936 Page 3
1 shall adopt rules which it deems necessary for the operation of the
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2 Board and the discharge of its duties and shall cause the minutes of
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3 all meetings to be kept. The Board shall comply with the Oklahoma
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4 Open Meeting Act and the Oklahoma Open Records Act.
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5 C. The Board of Trustees for Oklahoma State University/Tulsa
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6 may be authorized by the A&M Board to supervise and manage the
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7 campus of Oklahoma State University/Tulsa and perform other
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8 functions as necessary. The Board of Trustees shall promulgate
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9 rules and enact policies to govern the processes and procedures of
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10 the Board. It is the intent of the Legislature that in the
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11 interests of immediate responsiveness to the needs of students,
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12 employees, and the business community that the decision or approval
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13 process be expedited.
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14 D. On or after January 1, 1999, the A&M Board may assign and
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15 delineate roles and responsibilities for the Board of Trustees for
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16 Oklahoma State University/Tulsa. Such responsibilities may include,
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17 but are not limited to, student services, facility operations,
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18 student financial services, budget preparations, endowed chairs at
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19 Oklahoma State University/Tulsa, and administrative operations as
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20 specified by the A&M Board.
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21 E. The Board of Trustees shall establish the usual and
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22 customary accounts established by higher education institutions
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23 within the Office of Management and Enterprise Services necessary to
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24 carry out its duties.
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Req. No. 2936 Page 4
1 F. Until July 1, 2001, during the transition and development of
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2 Oklahoma State University/Tulsa, acting on behalf of the Board of
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3 Trustees for Oklahoma State University/Tulsa, Oklahoma State
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4 University is authorized and directed to negotiate contracts with
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5 institutions for courses and degree programs of study approved by
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6 the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, as necessary to
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7 meet the higher education needs for the Tulsa metropolitan area.
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8 The number of degree programs offered by Northeastern State
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9 University and Langston University shall not be diminished or
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10 duplicated.
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11 G. The president of Oklahoma State University/Tulsa shall be
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12 selected by the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and
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13 Mechanical Colleges after completion of a search process as set
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14 forth in this subsection. The A&M Board shall appoint at least two
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15 of its members, one of whom must reside in the First Congressional
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16 District, and the Board of Trustees shall appoint at least two of
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17 its members to a search committee. The president of Oklahoma State
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18 University may appoint other representatives of faculty, staff, and
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19 students to the search committee. The president of Oklahoma State
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20 University shall recommend a candidate in consultation with the
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21 search committee to the Board of Trustees and the A&M Board.
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22 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
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23 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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24 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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Req. No. 2936 Page 5
1 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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2 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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Req. No. 2936 Page 6Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.