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 760 By: Prieto
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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 4103, as amended by Section 1, Chapter
8 122, O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 4103),
8 which relates to accreditation of private
9 institutions of higher education; updating statutory
9 reference; providing exemption for certain
10 organizations and institutions; updating statutory
10 language; providing an effective date; and declaring
11 an emergency.
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13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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14 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 4103, as
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15 amended by Section 1, Chapter 122, O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024,
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16 Section 4103), is amended to read as follows:
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17 Section 4103. A. As used in this section:
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18 1. "Degree-granting institution" means an institution that
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19 offers education leading to an associate's degree or higher;
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20 2. "Non-degree-granting activity" means offering education or
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21 training that does not lead to an associate's degree or higher; and
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22 3. "State authorization reciprocity agreement" means an
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23 agreement among states, districts, and territories that establishes
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1 comparable standards for providing distance education from their
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2 postsecondary educational institutions to out-of-state students.
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3 B. All private and out-of-state public degree-granting
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4 institutions shall be accredited by an accrediting agency which is
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5 recognized by the Secretary of the United States Department of
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6 Education as a reliable authority as to the quality of education or
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7 training offered by institutions of higher education for the
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8 purposes of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.
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9 Additionally, for the purposes of consumer protection and to
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10 maintain financial eligibility for Title IV funding as described in
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11 34 CFR Part 600, institutions shall be authorized according to the
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12 policies and procedures established by the Oklahoma State Regents
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13 for Higher Education. These policies and procedures shall be
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14 limited to the minimum necessary to ensure that private and out-of-
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15 state degree-granting institutions that operate in this state by any
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16 modality meet the same standards of academic quality and fiscal
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17 responsibility required for institutions of higher education within
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18 The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education. Beginning with the
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19 2023-2024 academic year, the State Regents shall:
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20 1. Establish and collect fees annually from applicants for
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21 authorization as necessary to cover the costs of authorization;
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22 2. Require applicants for authorization to submit payment in an
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23 amount established by the State Regents into the Tuition Recovery
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24 Revolving Fund created in Section 2 Section 4103.1 of this act
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1 title, which shall be used to offset student tuition losses in the
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2 event an authorized institution closes or ceases operations; and
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3 3. Be authorized to deny, not renew, or revoke an institution's
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4 authorization if it is found to be in violation of the Oklahoma
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5 statutes, it fails to meet the minimum authorization standards
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6 established by the State Regents, or an accrediting agency or other
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7 government entity revokes its approval, which is material to the
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8 continuity of the institution. An institution subject to the
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9 provisions of this paragraph shall be given reasonable notice and an
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10 opportunity to be heard prior to a decision to deny, not renew, or
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11 revoke authorization.
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12 C. The following institutions shall be exempt from this
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13 section:
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14 1. Private institutions participating in the Oklahoma Tuition
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15 Equalization Grant program; and
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16 2. Out-of-state public and private institutions participating
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17 in a state authorization reciprocity agreement that only conduct
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18 activities in Oklahoma that are acceptable under the terms and
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19 conditions of the state authorization reciprocity agreement; and
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20 3. Religious organizations or any degree-granting institutions
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21 whose primary purpose is to provide religious training or
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22 theological education and which are exempt from taxation pursuant to
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23 the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of
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24 1986, as amended.
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1 D. Non-exempt institutions engaged in non-degree granting non-
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2 degree-granting activities, such as offering certificates and
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3 diplomas, shall be subject to the standards administered by the
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4 Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools.
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5 E. The State Regents shall promulgate rules to implement the
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6 provisions of this section.
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7 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
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8 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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9 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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10 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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11 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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13 60-1-680 EB 1/19/2025 5:42:49 AM
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Req. No. 680 Page 4Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.