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 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
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3 SENATE BILL 58 By: Weaver
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5 AS INTRODUCED
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6 An Act relating to higher education; creating the
6 First Responder Recruitment and Retention Act;
7 providing short title; defining terms; creating the
7 First Responder Recruitment and Retention Program;
8 providing purpose; providing eligibility criteria;
8 requiring submission of application; providing
9 contents of application; providing eligibility
9 retention criteria; allowing program tuition waiver
10 for certain time period; directing program tuition
10 waivers to be applied after exhaustion of certain
11 other assistance; providing for promulgation of
11 rules; providing for codification; providing an
12 effective date; and declaring an emergency.
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14 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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15 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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16 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3260 of Title 70, unless there
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17 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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18 A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "First
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19 Responder Recruitment and Retention Act".
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20 B. As used in this act:
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21 1. "Degree program" means a program offered at an Oklahoma
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22 educational institution that leads to the award of an associate's
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23 degree or a baccalaureate degree;
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24 2. "Eligible student" means:
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Req. No. 820 Page 1
1 a. a peace officer as defined by Section 648 of Title 21
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2 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
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3 b. a volunteer or a permanent salaried professional
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4 member of any fire department in this state, and
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5 c. a volunteer or employed emergency medical technician
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6 who is licensed pursuant to Section 1-2505 of Title 63
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7 of the Oklahoma Statutes;
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8 3. "Oklahoma educational institution" means an institution of
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9 higher education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher
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10 Education; and
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11 4. "Program" means the First Responder Recruitment and
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12 Retention Program.
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13 C. There is hereby created the First Responder Recruitment and
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14 Retention Program to provide a waiver of resident tuition for
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15 eligible students who meet the requirements of subsection D of this
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16 section.
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17 D. To be eligible to apply for the program, an eligible student
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18 shall:
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19 1. Have satisfied admission standards as determined by the
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20 Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for first-time entering
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21 students for the appropriate type of institution;
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22 2. Have secured admission to and enrolled in an Oklahoma
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23 educational institution; and
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Req. No. 820 Page 2
1 3. Pursue a degree program that relates to a career as a peace
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2 officer as defined by Section 648 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma
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3 Statutes, a salaried professional member of any fire department in
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4 this state, or an employed emergency medical technician who is
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5 licensed pursuant to Section 1-2505 of Title 63 of the Oklahoma
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6 Statutes.
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7 E. An eligible student seeking a program tuition waiver shall
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8 submit an application on a form prescribed by the Oklahoma State
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9 Regents for Higher Education. The application shall include:
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10 1. A verification that the person applying meets the definition
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11 of eligible student as provided for in subsection B of this section;
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12 and
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13 2. Proof that the individual is:
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14 a. a peace officer as defined by Section 648 of Title 21
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15 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
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16 b. a volunteer or a permanent salaried professional
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17 member of any fire department in this state, or
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18 c. a volunteer or employed emergency medical technician
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19 who is licensed pursuant to Section 1-2505 of Title 63
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20 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
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21 F. To retain eligibility for the program, a student shall:
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22 1. Maintain good academic standing and satisfactory academic
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23 progress according to standards of the Oklahoma educational
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24 institution in which the eligible student is enrolled; and
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1 2. Maintain the requirements for retention and degree
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2 completion as established by the Oklahoma educational institution in
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3 which the eligible student is enrolled.
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4 G. An eligible student may receive a program tuition waiver for
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5 up to five (5) years or until completion of the degree program,
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6 whichever occurs first.
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7 H. Program tuition waivers awarded pursuant to this act shall
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8 apply after all other state or federal assistance has been
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9 exhausted.
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10 I. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall
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11 promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this act.
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12 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
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13 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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14 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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15 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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16 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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18 60-1-820 EB 1/19/2025 5:39:08 AM
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Req. No. 820 Page 4Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.