Sen. Adam Pugh

Maddy summarySB 1899 expands eligibility for Oklahoma's Higher Learning Access Program to include children of certified school personnel, such as teachers and other district employees. The bill amends Section 2603 of Oklahoma law to explicitly add "children of certified classroom teachers or certified personnel" as a qualifying group under financial need requirements. This change allows these students to receive tuition assistance equivalent to resident rates for their first semester of college, provided they meet other standard program criteria like high school graduation and academic requirements. The amendment updates existing eligibility rules without altering the program's core structure or funding mechanisms.

Maddy summarySB 2050 removes exceptions that allowed undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition and state financial aid at Oklahoma colleges. It deletes provisions permitting students to use affidavits or pending immigration applications to prove eligibility, and eliminates the prior exemption for students who received resident tuition status before the 2006-2007 academic year. The bill directly affects undocumented students seeking to enroll in Oklahoma's public universities or community colleges, barring them from in-state tuition rates and state-funded scholarships or financial aid. This change takes effect July 1, 2026, making undocumented students ineligible for these benefits under Oklahoma law.

Maddy summarySB 1897 directs Oklahoma's State Board of Education to update the state's assessment system, allowing public school districts to choose from a list of approved assessments for students in grades 9-12. The bill requires the Board to issue requests for proposals to select assessments meeting federal standards, publish an approved list by 2027, and mandate that districts using approved assessments administer them to all 9-12th graders. It affects Oklahoma public schools and students, specifically requiring high school assessments for graduation under the state's standard diploma requirements. The key change is shifting to a district-choice model for high school assessments while maintaining alignment with state academic standards and federal law.

Maddy summarySB 1898 directs Oklahoma's State Regents for Higher Education to select one comprehensive, one regional, and one two-year public college to establish Centers for Civic Engagement. These centers will focus on civic education through activities like hosting nonpartisan forums, offering supplemental instruction in political science and American government, and fostering civil dialogue on civic issues. The bill requires the State Regents to submit a report by July 1, 2029, detailing student/faculty engagement, center activities, and recommendations for improvement. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 2149 requires Oklahoma municipalities to remove illegal discriminatory language from property maps (plats) under the Fair Housing Act. It directs cities to pass ordinances amending plats, after giving 30 days' written notice to all property owners in the affected area and securing municipal council approval. County clerks must then delete the discriminatory language from the official records without needing owner votes. The bill applies to all existing plats containing unlawful restrictions, making such clauses unenforceable and void under state law. It takes effect November 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 1340 raises income eligibility limits for Oklahoma's Higher Learning Access Program, directly affecting low-income students seeking college benefits. Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, the bill increases the maximum parent federal adjusted gross income for qualification to $60,000 (for families with two or fewer children), $70,000 (three or four children), and $80,000 (five or more children). This updates previous thresholds that were lower for earlier school years. The change expands access to the program by allowing more students from middle-income families to qualify for benefits like tuition assistance.

Maddy summarySB 235 creates Oklahoma's "Grow Your Own Educator Program," which provides matching grants to eligible public school districts that help current employees pursue teaching degrees. School districts must have existing tuition or loan repayment programs for staff enrolled in accredited teacher preparation programs to qualify. The state establishes a dedicated "Grow Your Own Educator Revolving Fund" to cover the matching portion of these grants, awarded on a first-come basis with funds limited by available appropriations. Districts must report annually on employee progress and outcomes, while the state submits broader program reports to elected officials.

Maddy summarySB 235 establishes the Grow Your Own Educator Program, which helps school districts train current staff or community members to become teachers. It creates a grant application process for districts to fund these training initiatives, directly affecting school districts and local educators seeking to build teacher pipelines. The bill took effect immediately upon the governor’s approval on June 10, 2025, as an emergency measure. This law provides a concrete framework for districts to secure funding for educator development programs.

Maddy summaryHB 1287 authorizes the University of Oklahoma's Board of Regents to create a high-dosage math tutoring pilot program for ninth-grade students who scored lowest on Oklahoma's eighth-grade math assessment. The program targets public high schools in districts with 30,000+ enrolled students and public charter schools. It requires the University of Oklahoma's College of Education to administer the tutoring, focusing on intensive, frequent support for struggling math students. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, with an emergency clause allowing immediate implementation upon approval.

Maddy summaryHB 1087 establishes a new minimum salary schedule for Oklahoma public school teachers based on years of experience and education level, directly affecting all certified teachers in the state's public schools. The bill sets specific annual salary amounts ranging from $39,601 for entry-level teachers with a Bachelor's degree to $65,319 for those with 35+ years of experience and a Doctorate. It clarifies that "fringe benefits" exclude certain retirement contributions and requires school districts to notify teachers if salary adjustments would fall below the minimum schedule. The law takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year after being approved by the governor on May 30, 2025.