1| STATE OF OKLAHOMA | | | 2| 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) | | | 3|HOUSE BILL 2555 By: McBride and Baker | | | 4| | | | 5| | | | 6| AS INTRODUCED | | | 7| An Act relating to scholarships; creating the | | Oklahoma Critical Industries Scholarship Program; | 8| providing for four-year pilot program; directing | | Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to | 9| administer program; establishing minimum eligibility | | criteria for students; requiring identification of | 10| critical industry programs; including computer | | science, engineering, and cybersecurity programs; | 11| providing for matching state funds with funds from | | certain entities; requiring matching funds to be | 12| capped; authorizing certain reduction in payments; | | permitting set aside for funds; allowing funds to be | 13| used for program administration; directing submission | | of annual report of program; providing for | 14| codification; providing an effective date; and | | declaring an emergency. | 15| | | | 16| | | | 17| | | | 18|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: | | | 19| SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified | | | 20|in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2501 of Title 70, unless there | | | 21|is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: | | | 22| A. Beginning July 1, 2023, there is hereby created the Oklahoma | | | 23|Critical Industries Scholarship Program. The program shall be a | | | 24|four-year pilot program to encourage high school graduates to pursue | | | Req. No. 5154 Page 1 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|degree-seeking or certificate-seeking post-secondary education | | | 2|training in industries which are critical to the economic growth of | | | 3|the state. | | | 4| B. The Oklahoma Critical Industries Scholarship Program shall | | | 5|be administered by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. | | | 6|The scholarship amounts and student eligibility for the program | | | 7|shall be established by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher | | | 8|Education and may vary by individual higher education institution or | | | 9|technology center school. At a minimum, eligible students shall be: | | | 10| 1. Enrolled full-time at a state public higher education | | | 11|institution or state public technology center school; | | | 12| 2. Pursuing a degree or certification in an accredited critical | | | 13|industry program; and | | | 14| 3. Shall not be pursuing a graduate degree. | | | 15| C. Eligible critical industry programs offered by state public | | | 16|higher education institutions and state public technology center | | | 17|schools shall be identified by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher | | | 18|Education, in coordination with the State Board of Career and | | | 19|Technology Education and shall include computer science, | | | 20|engineering, and cybersecurity programs. | | | 21| D. The program shall match state funds up to Fifteen Million | | | 22|Dollars ($15,000,000.00) on a pro rata basis with funds from state | | | 23|public higher education institutions, state public technology center | | | 24|schools, and private funding sources to provide scholarships for | | | Req. No. 5154 Page 2 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|eligible students. State matching funds shall be capped for each | | | 2|higher education institution and technology center school. | | | 3| E. If sufficient funds are not available to award scholarships | | | 4|to eligible participants during any fiscal year, the Chancellor may | | | 5|make reductions in the payments made to participants. | | | 6| F. At the time a scholarship is awarded on behalf of the | | | 7|Oklahoma Critical Industries Scholarship Program, the Oklahoma State | | | 8|Regents for Higher Education may set aside funds for the full | | | 9|commitment made to a participating student. | | | 10| G. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may utilize | | | 11|Oklahoma Critical Industries Scholarship Program designated funds | | | 12|for administration of the program. | | | 13| H. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education in | | | 14|cooperation with the State Board of Career and Technology Education | | | 15|shall prepare and submit an annual report on the Oklahoma Critical | | | 16|Industries Scholarship Program on or before July 1 of each year to | | | 17|the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, the President | | | 18|Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma State Senate, and the Governor. | | | 19| SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023. | | | 20| SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation | | | 21|of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby | | | 22|declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and | | | 23|be in full force from and after its passage and approval. | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 5154 Page 3 ___________________________________________________________________________
1| 59-1-5154 EK 01/18/23 | | | 2| | | | 3| | | | 4| | | | 5| | | | 6| | | | 7| | | | 8| | | | 9| | | | 10| | | | 11| | | | 12| | | | 13| | | | 14| | | | 15| | | | 16| | | | 17| | | | 18| | | | 19| | | | 20| | | | 21| | | | 22| | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 5154 Page 4