HB 2398

                               An Act
ENROLLED HOUSE
BILL NO. 2398  By: Hill of the House
                                                  and
                                          Reinhardt of the Senate
         An Act relating to education; defining terms;
         authorizing the State Regents for Higher Education
         and the Department of Career and Technology Education
         to designate a credential of value; listing criteria
         for a credential of value; permitting the designation
         of a credential of value if the credential is
         determined to be essential to meeting documented
         state workforce needs; authorizing the State Regents
         and the Department to adopt a definition of self-
         sufficient wage; authorizing the State Regents and
         the Department to promulgate rules and determine
         procedures to implement the section; requiring annual
         report from institutions, agencies, and schools on
         data required to evaluate credentials under this
         section; requiring the State Regents and the
         Department to annually publish a statewide credential
         of value list; authorizing the State Regents and the
         Department to enter into data-sharing agreements; and
         providing for codification.
SUBJECT: Education
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
    SECTION 1.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 9201 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
    A.   As used in this section:
    1. "Coordinating entity" means the Oklahoma State Regents for
Higher Education or the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology
Education;
    2. "Credential of value" means a certificate, degree, license,
industry-recognized credential, apprenticeship credential, or other
postsecondary or career-technical award issued by an educational
provider that meets the criteria established under this section;
    3. "Educational provider" means any institution, agency, or
school coordinated by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
Education or governed by the Oklahoma Department of Career and
Technology Education; and
    4. "Net cost of attendance" means the cost of attendance minus
all grants, scholarships, fee waivers, or other aid received by the
individual.
    B. A coordinating entity may designate a credential as a
credential of value if the credential satisfies the following
criteria:
    1. The credential provides a positive return on investment for
individuals who complete the credential, demonstrated by:
        a.   cumulative earnings within a time period specified by
             the coordinating entity that coordinates or governs
             the educational provider that are equal to or exceed
             the statewide median earnings for Oklahoma high school
             graduates, and
        b.   earnings that allow the credential holder to recoup
             the net cost of attendance within a time period
             specified by the coordinating entity that coordinates
             or governs the educational provider; and
    2. The credential is aligned with state and regional labor
market demand, as determined by the coordinating entity that
coordinates or governs the educational provider, using data from the
Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, the Oklahoma Workforce
Commission, or other labor market sources recognized by the
coordinating entity.
    C. A coordinating entity may designate a credential as a
credential of value even if it does not meet one or more criteria
ENR. H. B. NO. 2398  Page 2
under subsection B of this section if the credential is determined
by the coordinating entity to be essential to meeting documented
state workforce needs.
    D. A coordinating entity may adopt a definition of a self-
sufficient wage for purposes of this section that aligns with:
   1.   Statewide self-sufficiency wage benchmarks; or
    2. Regional economic and labor market data that reflect the
cost of living and labor market conditions in Oklahoma.
    E. A coordinating entity may promulgate rules and determine
procedures to implement the provisions of this section, including:
    1. Standard methodologies for calculating return on investment
and net cost of attendance;
    2. Criteria and data sources for assessing alignment with
workforce demand;
    3. A unified statewide process for designating and periodically
reviewing credentials of value; and
    4. A shared reporting structure and timeline for all education
providers under the coordination or governance of the coordinating
entity.
    F. 1. Each educational provider shall annually report the data
required to evaluate credentials under this section to the
coordinating entity that coordinates or governs the educational
provider. Such data shall include, but is not limited to, the
following:
        a.   enrollment, completion, and credential attainment,
        b.   graduate employment rate and earnings outcomes, and
        c.   program cost information.
    2. A coordinating entity shall annually publish a statewide
credential of value list, accessible to the public, identifying all
credentials designated under this section.
ENR. H. B. NO. 2398  Page 3
    G. A coordinating entity may enter into data-sharing agreements
with the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, the Oklahoma
Workforce Commission, and other state agencies to support the
evaluation and designation of credentials of value.
ENR. H. B. NO. 2398  Page 4
    Passed the House of Representatives the 10th day of March, 2026.
                                    Presiding Officer of the House
                                                of Representatives
    Passed the Senate the 15th day of April, 2026.
                                   Presiding Officer of the Senate
                       OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
    Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
    Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
                                   _________________________________
                                   Governor of the State of Oklahoma
                  OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
    Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
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