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1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
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3 SENATE BILL 2040 By: Goodwin
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to the Tulsa Reconciliation Education
7 and Scholarship Program; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
8 Sections 2621, 2623, and 2625, which relate to
8 creation of and eligibility for the program;
9 modifying eligibility for program; updating statutory
9 language; increasing income limit for certain
10 eligibility; exempting certain applicants from
10 certain income limit; allowing certain form to be
11 used to verify income; removing certain eligibility
11 criteria; directing the Oklahoma State Regents for
12 Higher Education to give first priority status to
12 certain applicants; modifying process for verifying
13 documentation of lineage; requiring application form
13 to include certain language; directing awards to be
14 made in certain specified manner; directing the State
14 Regents to involve certain community advisory
15 committee in selection process; providing for
15 composition of and appointments to advisory
16 committee; directing certain university president to
16 submit a list of proposed members; directing advisory
17 committee to review certain applications and make
17 certain recommendations; directing the State Regents
18 to select recipients from certain list; allowing
18 certain remaining scholarship award funds to be used
19 for certain purposes; directing certain applicants to
19 always be given first priority status; and declaring
20 an emergency.
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23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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Req. No. 3032 Page 1
1 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 2621, is
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2 amended to read as follows:
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3 Section 2621. There is hereby created the Tulsa Reconciliation
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4 Education and Scholarship Program. The purpose of the program is to
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5 provide a scholarship award to residents of the Tulsa School
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6 District, which was greatly impacted both socially and economically
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7 by the civil unrest that occurred in the City of Tulsa during 1921.
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8 Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year, or as soon thereafter as
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9 practicable, and subject to the availability of funds, the program
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10 shall each year make scholarships available to as many students as
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11 feasible, up to three hundred scholarships, to qualified residents
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12 of the Tulsa School District, and to qualified students of any other
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13 public school district in the United States who are direct lineal
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14 descendants as defined in subsection C of Section 2623 of this title
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15 and who meet the criteria set forth in Sections 2623 and 2624 of
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16 this title, and who are intending to pursue studies at an
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17 institution of higher education in The Oklahoma State System of
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18 Higher Education or a private institution of higher education, in
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19 this state or who are intending to pursue studies in a postsecondary
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20 career and technology education program in this state. The
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21 scholarship shall be an amount of not more than not exceeding the
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22 equivalent of the average amount of resident tuition for which an
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23 eligible Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Program
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24 participant enrolled at an institution of higher education in The
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Req. No. 3032 Page 2
1 Oklahoma State System of Higher Education or a postsecondary career
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2 and technology education program, whichever is applicable, is
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3 obligated to pay. The scholarship shall be paid as provided for in
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4 Section 2625 of this title. The further purpose of this program is
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5 to establish and maintain a variety of educational support services
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6 whereby residents students who qualify for the program will be
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7 prepared for success in postsecondary endeavors.
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8 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 2623, is
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9 amended to read as follows:
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10 Section 2623. A. Subject to the availability of funds, the
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11 Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may annually award a
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12 maximum of three hundred full-time-equivalent scholarships for the
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13 Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Program to residents
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14 of the Tulsa School District and to qualified students of any other
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15 public school district in the United States who are direct lineal
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16 descendants as defined in subsection C of this section and who are
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17 intending to pursue studies at an institution of higher education in
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18 The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education or a private
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19 institution of higher education in this state or who are intending
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20 to pursue studies in a postsecondary career and technology education
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21 program in this state.
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22 B. To qualify for a scholarship, the family income of an
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23 applicant shall satisfy the following criteria:
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Req. No. 3032 Page 3
1 1. The family income of the applicant, from taxable sources is
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2 not more than Seventy Thousand Dollars ($70,000.00), not exceed One
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3 Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($125,000.00) per year. There
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4 shall be no family income limit for an applicant who is a direct
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5 lineal descendant as defined in subsection C of this section. The
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6 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form may be used to
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7 verify family income;
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8 2. The applicant attended a Tulsa public school where seventy-
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9 five percent (75%) or more of the students enrolled in the school
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10 qualify for the free and reduced lunch program; and
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11 3. The applicant resides in a census block area within the
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12 Tulsa School District where thirty percent (30%) or more of the
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13 residents are at or below the poverty level established by the
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14 United States Bureau of the Census.
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15 C. The Regents may consider as a factor, when determining the
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16 order of preference of applicants, whether State Regents' selection
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17 process shall give first priority status to an applicant who is a
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18 direct lineal descendant of a person who resided in the Greenwood
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19 Area in the City of Tulsa between April 30, 1921, and June 1, 1921,
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20 and was a victim of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. If the Regents
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21 use Use of descent as a preference factor, it shall be applied to
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22 all applicants regardless of race. The applicants shall be required
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23 to present verifiable documentation of their lineage. The Oklahoma
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24 Historical Society An organization or individual engaged in
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Req. No. 3032 Page 4
1 genealogy and research of descendants and history of the 1921 Tulsa
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2 Race Massacre and Greenwood Area shall verify the authenticity and
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3 accuracy of the documentation submitted by an applicant and shall
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4 establish confirm the boundaries of the Greenwood Area. Verifiable
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5 documentation shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
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6 1. Family records including family bibles, vital records,
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7 correspondence, memoirs, journals, diaries, unrecorded deeds,
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8 diplomas, certificates, or testimonials;
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9 2. Public records including censuses, government records,
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10 military records, pensions, land bounty records, passport
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11 applications, passenger lists, original grants, naturalization or
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12 immigration records, records of entry, or state, province, or local
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13 records; or
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14 3. Institutional records including church records, cemetery
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15 records and inscriptions, education institutions, insurance records,
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16 or societies and fraternal organizations.
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17 D. The State Regents shall promulgate rules establishing the
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18 application requirements for the program and the system for
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19 evaluating applications based on the preference factors. The
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20 application form shall include a small outlined box graphic,
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21 followed by the following language: "Mark the box if you are a
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22 direct lineal descendant of a victim greatly impacted socially and
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23 economically during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre who resided in the
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Req. No. 3032 Page 5
1 Greenwood Area of Tulsa, Oklahoma, between April 30, 1921, and June
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2 1, 1921."
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3 E. Applicants shall also meet the eligibility criteria
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4 established in Section 2624 of this title.
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5 F. The Oklahoma In addition to the scholarships authorized
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6 pursuant to Section 2621 of this title and this section, the State
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7 Regents for Higher Education shall also be authorized to annually
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8 award scholarships for the Tulsa Reconciliation Education and
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9 Scholarship Program to two students at each of the high schools in
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10 the Tulsa School District for the purpose of preserving awareness of
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11 the history and meaning of the civil unrest that occurred in Tulsa
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12 in 1921. The following provisions shall apply to the scholarship
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13 scholarships provided in this subsection:
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14 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection B of this
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15 section, eligibility for the scholarships awarded pursuant to this
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16 subsection shall be:
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17 a. enrollment in the appropriate high school,
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18 b. family income of the applicant from taxable sources
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19 not to exceed Seventy Thousand Dollars ($70,000.00)
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20 One Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($125,000.00)
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21 per year. There shall be no family income limit for
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22 an applicant who is a direct lineal descendant as
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23 defined in subsection C of this section,
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24 c. made as provided for in subsection C of this section,
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Req. No. 3032 Page 6
1 d. satisfaction of the criteria specified in Section 2624
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2 of this title, and
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3 d. e. any other relevant criteria determined by the
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4 Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education;
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5 2. The State Regents shall involve the administration of the
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6 Tulsa School District and a community advisory committee in the
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7 selection process. The community advisory committee shall be
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8 comprised of seven (7) members appointed by the Chancellor of Higher
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9 Education. The community advisory committee shall be comprised of:
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10 a. the President of Langston University or his or her
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11 designee,
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12 b. the Superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools or his or
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13 her designee,
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14 c. two members of the Legislature representing the
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15 Greenwood area in the City of Tulsa, Oklahoma, or
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16 their designees,
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17 d. two descendants of socially and economically adversely
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18 impacted persons who resided in the Greenwood Area in
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19 the City of Tulsa, Oklahoma, between April 30, 1921
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20 and June 1, 1921, and
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21 e. a citizen with ties to the historic Greenwood
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22 community who may be engaged in faith-based,
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23 education, or social, business, or advocacy work.
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Req. No. 3032 Page 7
1 The President of Langston University, or his or her designee,
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2 shall be responsible for coordinating with the community advisory
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3 committee and shall submit to the Chancellor of Higher Education a
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4 list of proposed committee members for review and approval. The
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5 community advisory committee shall review scholarship applications
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6 and make recommendations for scholarship recipients and scholarship
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7 award amounts. The State Regents shall select scholarship
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8 recipients from the list of recommendations provided pursuant to
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9 this paragraph;
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10 3. The award shall be limited to a one-year full-time-
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11 equivalent period. Following successful completion of such award,
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12 recipients who meet the criteria provided in subsection B of this
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13 section shall be eligible to apply and be considered for continued
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14 participation in the full Tulsa Reconciliation Education and
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15 Scholarship Program. Any student subsequently awarded such
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16 scholarship shall have the duration of the scholarship provided
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17 pursuant to this subsection deducted from the limits set in
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18 subsection D of Section 2625 of this title;
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19 4. The award may only be funded with state funds appropriated
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20 to the Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Trust Fund and
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21 income therefrom, and shall be made subject to the availability of
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22 such funds; and
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Req. No. 3032 Page 8
1 5. The awards made pursuant to this subsection shall be
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2 included within the maximum number of scholarships specified in
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3 subsection A of this section.
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4 SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 2625, is
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5 amended to read as follows:
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6 Section 2625. A. Subject to the availability of funds, an
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7 amount of not more than the equivalent of the average amount of
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8 resident tuition for which an eligible Tulsa Reconciliation
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9 Education and Scholarship Program participant enrolled in an
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10 institution in The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, or
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11 enrolled in a postsecondary career and technology education program,
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12 whichever is applicable, is obligated to pay shall be awarded by
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13 allocation from the Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship
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14 Trust Fund.
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15 B. Subject to the availability of funds, for each eligible
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16 Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Program participant
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17 enrolled at a private institution of higher education, the Oklahoma
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18 State Regents for Higher Education shall award from the Tulsa
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19 Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Trust Fund an amount of not
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20 more than the equivalent of the average amount of resident tuition
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21 for which the participant would be eligible if the participant were
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22 enrolled in a program at an institution of The Oklahoma State System
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23 of Higher Education.
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Req. No. 3032 Page 9
1 C. Subject to the availability of funds, an amount of not more
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2 than the equivalent of the average amount of tuition for which an
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3 eligible Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Program
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4 participant enrolled in a postsecondary career and technology
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5 education program is obligated to pay shall be awarded by allocation
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6 from the Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Trust Fund.
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7 The allocation shall not exceed the amount a participant would have
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8 received for enrollment at a two-year institution within The
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9 Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.
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10 D. Benefits awarded under the Tulsa Reconciliation Education
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11 and Scholarship Program shall not be allowed for courses or other
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12 postsecondary units taken in excess of the requirements for
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13 completion of a baccalaureate program or taken more than five (5)
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14 years after the student's first semester of participation in the
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15 program. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may award
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16 the Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Program benefits
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17 for courses of postsecondary units taken more than five (5) years
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18 after the student's first semester of participation in the program
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19 only in hardship circumstances. No Tulsa Reconciliation Education
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20 and Scholarship Program participant may receive benefits beyond a
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21 cumulative time period of five (5) years. The Oklahoma State
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22 Regents for Higher Education may establish a maximum limit on the
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23 number of courses or other postsecondary units to which Tulsa
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24 Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Program benefits will
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Req. No. 3032 Page 10
1 apply. An award to an eligible Tulsa Reconciliation Education and
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2 Scholarship Program participant who is enrolled in a postsecondary
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3 career and technology education program may be used to pay for both
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4 career and technology education and college work if both are
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5 required by the program.
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6 E. Benefits awarded under the Tulsa Reconciliation Education
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7 and Scholarship Program shall be awarded to not more than 300 three
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8 hundred (300) eligible participants annually, subject to the amount
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9 of funds available for the program and the number of eligible
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10 participants. Subject to the provisions of subsection F of this
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11 section, if funds are not sufficient to provide awards for the
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12 maximum number of eligible participants each year, the Oklahoma
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13 State Regents for Higher Education shall make awards on the basis of
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14 need. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall take
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15 into consideration other grants and scholarships received by an
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16 eligible student when making awards. If an eligible student
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17 receives other grants and scholarships scholarship award funds
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18 remain after payment of resident tuition, the benefits awarded under
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19 the Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Program may cover
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20 any additional educational costs not covered by the other grants and
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21 scholarships including, but not limited to, fees, required textbooks
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22 or materials, and room and board. If the family of an eligible
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23 Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Program participant
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24 may qualify for the federal Hope Scholarship or Lifetime Learning
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Req. No. 3032 Page 11
1 tax credit as provided for in the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, P.L.
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2 No. 105-34, the participant may elect to use the award allowed by
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3 this section to pay for fees, required textbooks or materials and,
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4 if any funds remain, to pay for room and board instead of resident
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5 tuition.
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6 F. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may, at the
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7 time an award is made on behalf of a Tulsa Reconciliation Education
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8 and Scholarship Program participant, set aside in the Tulsa
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9 Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Trust Fund funds for the
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10 full commitment made to such Tulsa Reconciliation Education and
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11 Scholarship Program participant. For all academic years,
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12 participants who have previously received awards under the
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13 provisions of the Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Act
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14 and who have continued at all times to fulfill the requirements for
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15 eligibility to receive awards provided pursuant to this program
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16 shall be given an absolute priority for continued financial support
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17 by the Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Program
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18 superior to any residents students who are applying for such
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19 benefits for the first time; provided, however, that scholarship
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20 applicants who are direct lineal descendants as defined in
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21 subsection C of Section 2623 of this title shall always be given
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22 first priority status.
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23 SECTION 4. 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. 3032 Page 12
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. 3032 Page 13Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.