Oklahoma House Bill HB3316

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/2/26
• Refer: 2/3/26

Caption

Higher education; Higher Education Activities Response (HEAR) Act; institution-sponsored on-campus events; security threat assessment; tactical threat assessment team; revolving fund; emergency.

Summary

HB3316 creates the Higher Education Activities Response (HEAR) Act, a new framework for security planning at institution-sponsored on-campus events at publicly funded universities, colleges, and junior colleges in Oklahoma. The bill requires institutions to provide or contract for trained security personnel for every covered event and to obtain a security threat assessment from a tactical threat assessment team, defined as the state or local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the event location. Institutions must submit a detailed request at least 30 days before the event, including event details, maps, expected attendance, and confirmations from fire and law enforcement authorities. The assessment must be completed within two weeks of the event and must include recommended security measures such as crowd control, evacuation routes, limits on event size, and prevention of alcohol or drug-related unlawful activity. The institution must pay all costs associated with the assessment and must provide the completed assessment to campus police, local law enforcement, and the Attorney General. The bill also requires a briefing for trained security personnel before the event and authorizes the Attorney General to investigate violations and impose fines equal to the cost of contracting for security personnel if an institution fails to obtain or follow the assessment.

Impact

HB3316 would add new statutory requirements to Title 74 governing higher education event security, creating mandatory pre-event planning, law-enforcement review, and security staffing obligations for public institutions. It also exempts security threat assessments from the Open Records Act, creates a new Higher Education Activities Response Revolving Fund in the State Treasury, and directs fine revenue into that fund for enforcement and assistance to survivors directly impacted by violent traumatic events at higher education institutions. The Attorney General would gain enforcement and investigative authority over compliance.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee discussion or votes, the available sentiment is neutral-to-supportive in tone, with the bill framed as a public safety and emergency response measure. The inclusion of an emergency clause suggests the sponsor viewed the proposal as urgent. No recorded debate, amendments, or vote history is available in the provided materials to indicate broader legislative support or opposition.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are the breadth and cost of the new requirements, especially for public colleges and universities that would have to pay for security threat assessments and comply with detailed planning mandates for every institution-sponsored on-campus event. Another likely issue is the Attorney General’s enforcement role and the fine structure, which could be viewed as punitive or burdensome by affected institutions. The bill’s exemption of security threat assessments from the Open Records Act may also raise transparency concerns, while supporters would likely emphasize the need for coordinated security planning and protection of students, staff, and the public.