Higher education; prohibiting certain activities related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Effective date. Emergency.
SB 796 prohibits Oklahoma public universities from using state funds, property, or resources for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs that grant preferential treatment based on race, ethnicity, sex, or national origin. It bans mandatory DEI training, pronoun disclosure requirements, and diversity statements in hiring, while allowing programs supporting first-generation students, low-income students, or underserved groups without race-based preferences. Universities must review and potentially restructure non-compliant DEI initiatives by July 2025 and submit annual compliance certificates starting July 2026. The bill exempts accreditation requirements, academic freedom, student organizations, and data collection from its restrictions.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 3, 2025
Signed May 13, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons
What changed between versions
Floor (House)
→
Floor (Senate)
·
5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was converted from the House version to the Senate floor version, with substantive changes to the prohibited activities and exemptions. The Senate version removed the restriction on DEI positions entirely and added new prohibited activities including mandatory loyalty oaths and pronoun disclosure. Several exemptions were added to protect academic freedom, student organizations, and access programs for underserved populations.
Scope change
The bill's scope was significantly modified to remove restrictions on DEI positions while adding new prohibitions on mandatory loyalty oaths and pronoun disclosure, and expanding exemptions to include academic freedom and student organizations.
REQUIREMENT
Removed the prohibition on utilizing state funds for diversity, equity, and inclusion positions, departments, activities, procedures, or programs.
Added prohibition on mandating any person to swear, certify, or agree to loyalty oaths that favor particular race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin.
Added prohibition on mandating any person to disclose their pronouns.
EXEMPTIONS
Added exemptions for academic freedom of faculty members, scholarly research, student organization activities, guest speakers, and access programs for underserved populations.
TIMELINE
Maintained the compliance certificate submission deadline of July 1, 2026, and each subsequent July 1.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 27, 2025 · House May 6, 2025
How they voted
41–8
Passed
Total votes 49
Mar 27, 2025
D
Democratic9
88% Nay
R
Republican40
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
30
Key actions
7
Committee
6
May 13, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor 05/10/2025
upper
May 6, 2025
Committee
Referred for enrollment
upper
May 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third Reading, Measure and Emergency passed: Ayes: 77 Nays: 18; Ayes: 76 Nays: 17
lower
Apr 16, 2025
Lower · Passed
CR; Do Pass Education Oversight Committee
lower
Apr 8, 2025
Lower · Passed
Policy recommendation to the Education Oversight committee; Do Pass Postsecondary Education
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Committee
Referred to Postsecondary Education
lower
Mar 31, 2025
Introduced
First Reading
lower
Mar 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
Engrossed to House
upper
Mar 27, 2025
Committee
Referred for engrossment
upper
Mar 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Measure and Emergency passed: Ayes: 39 Nays: 8
upper
Mar 4, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported Do Pass Education committee; CR filed
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Introduced
First Reading
upper
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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