Oklahoma Senate Bill SB1340

Oklahoma 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/2/26
• Refer: 2/3/26

Caption

Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program; increasing income eligibility limits beginning in certain school year. Effective date.

Summary

SB 1340 amends the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP), also known as Oklahoma’s “Promise” scholarship program, to expand income eligibility for students who want to participate and later receive benefits. The bill updates the student agreement section of the statute and raises the parent-income thresholds used to determine whether a student is considered financially eligible, with different limits phased in for applicants beginning in the 2027-2028 school year. It also increases the income cap for receiving a program benefit award while enrolled in college or an eligible vocational-technical or private institution, raising that threshold to $130,000 for the relevant academic year. The bill keeps the program’s existing structure intact: students in grades 5 through 11 must still be notified about the program, schools must designate contact persons, and participating students must continue to meet academic and behavioral commitments such as regular attendance, homework completion, and avoiding substance abuse and delinquent conduct. It also preserves special eligibility rules for adopted students, students in DHS custody, independent students, and children of certified classroom teachers, while updating the statutory references and effective date to November 1, 2026.

Impact

SB 1340 would directly amend 70 O.S. 2021, Section 2605, which governs OHLAP student agreements and financial qualification. Its main legal effect is to broaden access to the scholarship by increasing income limits for families at the application stage and at the benefit-award stage, thereby making more students eligible for state-funded higher education assistance. The bill also updates cross-references and timing provisions tied to school years and academic years, which would require the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and school districts to apply the new thresholds and continue administering compliance and recordkeeping under the revised statute.

Sentiment

The available context shows no recorded committee debate or vote tally, so there is no documented opposition or support in the provided materials. Based on the bill’s content, the measure appears generally expansionary and student-focused, aiming to increase access to the program for middle-income families and certain special categories of students. The absence of transcripts or votes limits any firm conclusion about legislative sentiment beyond the bill’s apparent policy goal of broadening eligibility.

Contention

The most likely points of contention are the higher income thresholds and the resulting cost to the state, since expanding eligibility for OHLAP could increase scholarship participation and appropriations needs. Another possible area of scrutiny is the phased-in structure, which creates different eligibility rules by school year and academic year, potentially complicating administration. The bill also preserves and extends special treatment for certain groups, including children of certified classroom teachers and students with DHS or tribal custody histories, which could draw policy questions about fairness and prioritization even though no specific objections are recorded in the provided materials.