Bill > SB1336

This bill creates the Oklahoma Veterans Higher Education Access Act, which provides tuition and fee waivers for eligible veterans with service-connected disabilities at higher education institutions and technology center schools. An eligible veteran is defined as an Oklahoma resident who served in the United States Armed Forces, received an honorable or general under honorable conditions discharge, and has a service-connected disability rating of 60% or higher. The waiver amount increases proportionally with disability rating, ranging from 50% for a 60% disability to 100% for a 100% or permanent and total disability rating. These waivers can be used for undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees (up to 150 credit hours) at eligible institutions or for tuition at technology center schools (up to three years) for certification or licensure programs. Veterans must first exhaust any available federal education benefits before applying for these state waivers. The bill requires the Legislature to annually provide funding to cover these waivers, subject to availability, and directs the State Regents and Career and Technology Education Board to establish application procedures and verification processes for disability ratings. The act will become effective on July 1, 2026, with an emergency clause allowing immediate implementation upon passage.

Education

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb1336&Session=2600