Postsecondary education; Sergeant Bobby Swartz Act; waiver of fees and costs for grandchildren of persons killed in line of duty; effective date; emergency.
Summary
HB2946, known as the Sergeant Bobby Swartz Act, expands existing Oklahoma education fee waivers for the families of public safety personnel killed in the line of duty. Under current law, certain children of deceased peace officers, firefighters, commissioned members of the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System, and emergency medical technicians may receive waivers of higher education fees and room and board, as well as career technology fees. This bill adds grandchildren who were living at the time of the covered person’s death to those eligible beneficiaries.
The bill applies both to the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education and to career technology districts. In higher education, eligible grandchildren would receive waivers of fees and room and board for up to five years. In career technology education, eligible grandchildren would receive fee waivers for up to five years. The bill also preserves the existing definitions of firefighter and emergency medical technician and keeps the waiver tied to the service benefit structure for commissioned members of the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System. It is set to take effect July 1, 2026, and includes an emergency clause for immediate effectiveness upon passage and approval.
Impact
HB2946 would amend 70 O.S. 2021, Section 3218.7-1, and Section 3 of Chapter 382, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 14-134.1), to broaden tuition and fee waiver eligibility in Oklahoma. The practical effect is to extend state-supported educational benefits beyond children to include certain grandchildren of deceased covered public safety personnel, increasing the number of potential recipients in both higher education and career technology programs. The bill would not create a new benefit category so much as enlarge the class of family members who may claim an existing one.
Sentiment
The available context suggests the bill is generally supportive and commemorative in tone, reflected in its naming as the Sergeant Bobby Swartz Act and its focus on honoring families of public safety workers who died in the line of duty. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no documented opposition or debate in the supplied materials. The inclusion of an emergency clause indicates an intent for prompt implementation, which is often associated with strong sponsor support.
Contention
The main policy issue is the scope of eligibility: HB2946 extends benefits to grandchildren, which broadens the fiscal and administrative reach of the current waiver programs. Potential points of contention would likely center on the cost to higher education institutions and career technology districts, whether grandchildren should be treated the same as children, and how to define and verify eligibility at the time of death. However, no specific objections, amendments, or recorded votes are included in the provided materials.
Schools; modifying the Health Education Act; modifying topics to be included in health education; providing for review and approval of curricula and materials. Effective date. Emergency.
Oklahoma National Guard Educational Assistance Act; providing for review of certain fees; authorizing establishment of certain cap; modifying retention eligibility. Effective date. Emergency.
Higher education; providing certain concurrent enrollment tuition waiver to juniors and seniors who declare intention to teach. Effective date. Emergency.
Schools; directing the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to make certain school accreditation determinations until certain date. Effective date. Emergency.