1| HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION | | | 2| STATE OF OKLAHOMA | | | 3| 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) | | | 4|HOUSE BILL 2555 By: McBride, Baker, Waldron, | | West (Tammy), and Moore of | 5| the House | | | 6| and | | | 7| Thompson (Roger) of the | | Senate | 8| | | | 9| | | | 10| AS INTRODUCED | | | 11| [ scholarships - Oklahoma Critical Industries | | | 12| Scholarship Program - four-year pilot program - | | | 13| eligibility criteria for students - critical | | | 14| industry programs - matching funds - annual report | | | 15| codification - effective date - emergency | | | 16| ] | | | 17| | | | 18| | | | 19|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: | | | 20| SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified | | | 21|in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2501 of Title 70, unless there | | | 22|is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: | | | 23| A. Beginning July 1, 2023, there is hereby created the Oklahoma | | | 24|Critical Industries Scholarship Program. The program shall be a | | | arsid11818799 HB2555 HFLR Page 1 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|four-year pilot program to encourage high school graduates to pursue | | | 2|degree-seeking or certificate-seeking post-secondary education | | | 3|training in industries which are critical to the economic growth of | | | 4|the state. | | | 5| B. The Oklahoma Critical Industries Scholarship Program shall | | | 6|be administered by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. | | | 7|The scholarship amounts and student eligibility for the program | | | 8|shall be established by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher | | | 9|Education and may vary by individual higher education institution or | | | 10|technology center school. At a minimum, eligible students shall be: | | | 11| 1. Enrolled full-time at a state public higher education | | | 12|institution or state public technology center school; | | | 13| 2. Pursuing a degree or certification in an accredited critical | | | 14|industry program; and | | | 15| 3. Shall not be pursuing a graduate degree. | | | 16| C. Eligible critical industry programs offered by state public | | | 17|higher education institutions and state public technology center | | | 18|schools shall be identified by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher | | | 19|Education, in coordination with the State Board of Career and | | | 20|Technology Education and shall include computer science, | | | 21|engineering, and cybersecurity programs. | | | 22| D. The program shall match state funds up to Fifteen Million | | | 23|Dollars ($15,000,000.00) on a pro rata basis with funds from state | | | 24|public higher education institutions, state public technology center | | | arsid11818799 HB2555 HFLR Page 2 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|schools, and private funding sources to provide scholarships for | | | 2|eligible students. State matching funds shall be capped for each | | | 3|higher education institution and technology center school. | | | 4| E. If sufficient funds are not available to award scholarships | | | 5|to eligible participants during any fiscal year, the Chancellor may | | | 6|make reductions in the payments made to participants. | | | 7| F. At the time a scholarship is awarded on behalf of the | | | 8|Oklahoma Critical Industries Scholarship Program, the Oklahoma State | | | 9|Regents for Higher Education may set aside funds for the full | | | 10|commitment made to a participating student. | | | 11| G. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may utilize | | | 12|Oklahoma Critical Industries Scholarship Program designated funds | | | 13|for administration of the program. | | | 14| H. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education in | | | 15|cooperation with the State Board of Career and Technology Education | | | 16|shall prepare and submit an annual report on the Oklahoma Critical | | | 17|Industries Scholarship Program on or before July 1 of each year to | | | 18|the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, the President | | | 19|Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma State Senate, and the Governor. | | | 20| SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023. | | | 21| SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation | | | 22|of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby | | | 23|declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and | | | 24|be in full force from and after its passage and approval. | | | arsid11818799 HB2555 HFLR Page 3 ___________________________________________________________________________
1| | | | 2|COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS AND BUDGET, dated | |03/02/2023 - DO PASS, As Amended and Coauthored. | 3| | | | 4| | | | 5| | | | 6| | | | 7| | | | 8| | | | 9| | | | 10| | | | 11| | | | 12| | | | 13| | | | 14| | | | 15| | | | 16| | | | 17| | | | 18| | | | 19| | | | 20| | | | 21| | | | 22| | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | arsid11818799 HB2555 HFLR Page 4