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ENGR. H. B. NO. 3134 Page 1
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ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 3134 By: West (Kevin), Crosswhite
Hader, and Maynard of the
House
and
Grellner of the Senate
An Act relating to higher education; creating the
Keep Accreditation About Academics Act; defining
terms; prohibiting accrediting agencies from
utilizing any diversity, equity, and inclusion
practices or procedures during the accreditation of
an institution of higher education; requiring
accrediting agencies to implement policies to prevent
the use of diversity, equity, and inclusion during
the accreditation process; authorizing enforcement
through civil action by certain persons; authorizing
enforcement by the Attorney General; finding
violation of act a violation of the Oklahoma Anti-
Discrimination Act and the Oklahoma Consumer
Protection Act; requiring accrediting agency to pay
attorney fees; requiring accrediting agency to pay
civil penalties; providing for noncodification;
providing for codification; and providing an
effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be
codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Keep
Accreditation About Academics Act".
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SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3252 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. As used in this act:
1. "Accreditation" means the status of public recognition that
an accrediting agency grants to an educational institution, program,
or both that meets the agency's standards and requirements;
2. "Accrediting agency" means a person or governmental entity
that conducts accrediting activities and makes decisions concerning
the accreditation or pre-accreditation status of institutions,
programs, or both. Accrediting agency includes, but is not limited
to, any national, regional, or programmatic accrediting agency;
3. "Diversity, equity, and inclusion" means any differential
treatment of, or assignment of any fault or blame to, an individual
or group at an institution of higher education based on race, color,
ethnicity, national origin except as it relates to immigration
status under United States law, sex except as it relates to sex-
segregated facilities such as dormitories, bathrooms, or athletic
programs, sexual orientation, or gender identity;
4. "Diversity, equity, and inclusion practice or procedure"
means any initiative, policy, program, mandate, requirement,
standard, metric, statistic, or other practice or procedure related
to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and
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5. "Institution of higher education" means a state educational
institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education
including all of the state educational institution’s programs,
departments, divisions, offices, centers, colleges, and schools and
any person acting on behalf of any of the state educational
institution's programs, departments, divisions, offices, centers,
colleges, and schools.
B. When taking any action on the accreditation or renewal of
accreditation of an institution of higher education, an accrediting
agency shall not:
1. Base its accrediting decision in any way on a review or
consideration of any diversity, equity, and inclusion practice or
procedure;
2. Collect information related to any diversity, equity, and
inclusion practice or procedure; or
3. Include any requirement related to any diversity, equity,
and inclusion practice or procedure.
C. An accrediting agency considering the accreditation or
renewal of accreditation of an institution of higher education shall
implement policies to ensure that any person with decision-making or
recommendation authority related to that accreditation or renewal of
accreditation does not collect and is not presented with any
information regarding any diversity, equity, and inclusion practice
or procedure.
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D. This section may be enforced through a civil action brought
against an accrediting agency by any person who is or was:
1. A student of an institution of higher education; or
2. Employed by an institution of higher education.
E. The Attorney General may enforce this section against an
accrediting agency. Any violation of this section shall constitute
a violation of the Oklahoma Anti-Discrimination Act and the Attorney
General's Office of Civil Rights Enforcement may investigate and
seek remedies as provided by law. Any violation of this section
shall also constitute an unfair act in violation of the Oklahoma
Consumer Protection Act and the Attorney General may investigate and
seek remedies as provided by law.
F. In addition to any other remedies available by law, an
accrediting agency that violates this section shall be obligated to
pay the reasonable attorney fees and costs of the party bringing the
lawsuit and to pay damages to the party bringing the lawsuit in an
amount equal to three times all monies paid to the accrediting
agency by the institution of higher education for the accrediting
agency's services, whether dues, fees, or otherwise.
G. In addition to any other remedies available by law, an
accrediting agency that violates this section shall be liable to pay
civil penalties to the party bringing the lawsuit in an amount up to
One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) per student that attended the
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institution of higher education at the time the accrediting agency
violated this section.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
Passed the House of Representatives the 26th day of March, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the Senate