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 2051 By: Thompson
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to higher education; creating the
7 Oklahoma Research Attraction Program (ORAP) to be
8 administered by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
8 Education; providing purpose; defining terms;
9 providing eligibility for certain matching grant
9 subject to available funding; providing for use of
10 matching grant; allowing an institution to use a
10 matching grant in certain fiscal years; providing for
11 promulgation of rules; creating the Oklahoma Research
11 Attraction Program (ORAP) Revolving Fund; specifying
12 source of fund; providing for expenditures; providing
12 purpose of fund; providing for codification; and
13 providing an effective date.
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16 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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17 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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18 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3234 of Title 70, unless there
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19 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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20 A. There is hereby created the Oklahoma Research Attraction
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21 Program (ORAP) to be developed and administered by the Oklahoma
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22 State Regents for Higher Education to promote increased research
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23 capacity at eligible institutions of higher education by providing
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24 matching funds to leverage private gifts for the enhancement of
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Req. No. 2494 Page 1
1 research productivity and faculty recruitment. Private gifts shall
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2 comply with the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of
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3 2018 and the Comprehensive Outbound Investment National Security Act
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4 of 2025.
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5 B. For the purposes of this section:
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6 1. "Eligible institution" means an institution of higher
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7 education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education; and
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8 2. "Gift" means cash, cash equivalent, marketable securities,
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9 closely held securities, money market holdings, partnership
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10 interests, personal property, real property, mineral rights, and
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11 life insurance proceeds.
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12 C. An eligible institution that receives private gifts may be
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13 eligible to receive a matching grant from funds appropriated to the
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14 Oklahoma Research Attraction Program (ORAP) Revolving Fund created
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15 in Section 2 of this act, subject to the availability of funding.
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16 D. Matching grants provided pursuant to this section shall be
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17 used by an eligible institution only for the support and maintenance
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18 of educational and general activities including, but not limited to,
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19 research and student services that promote increased research
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20 capacity at the institution.
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21 E. A matching grant received by an eligible institution
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22 pursuant to this section that is not used by the institution in the
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23 fiscal year for which it is provided may be used by the institution
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24 in subsequent fiscal years.
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Req. No. 2494 Page 2
1 F. The State Regents shall promulgate rules to implement the
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2 provisions of this section.
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3 SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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4 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3235 of Title 70, unless there
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5 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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6 There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund
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7 for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to be designated
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8 the "Oklahoma Research Attraction Program (ORAP) Revolving Fund".
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9 The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year
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10 limitations, and shall consist of all monies received by the State
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11 Regents from legislative appropriations provided for the purpose of
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12 implementing the Oklahoma Research Attraction Program (ORAP) created
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13 in Section 1 of this act. All monies accruing to the credit of the
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14 fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the
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15 State Regents for the purpose provided for in this section.
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16 Expenditures from the fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the
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17 State Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by law with the
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18 Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for
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19 approval and payment.
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20 SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
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22 60-2-2494 EB 1/15/2026 11:11:38 AM
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Req. No. 2494 Page 3Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.