Read the full stored bill text
ENGR. H. B. NO. 4344 Page 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 4344 By: Moore of the House
and
Jech of the Senate
An Act relating to The Oklahoma State System of
Higher Education; amending 62 O.S. 2021, Section
34.53, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 84, O.S.L.
2025 (62 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 34.53), which
relates to the Oklahoma State Finance Act; permitting
the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to
reduce allocations in order to make payments for
annual obligations; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 62 O.S. 2021, Section 34.53, as
amended by Section 1, Chapter 84, O.S.L. 2025 (62 O.S. Supp. 2025,
Section 34.53), is amended to read as follows:
Section 34.53. A. 1. The Oklahoma State System of Higher
Education, established by Article XIII-A of the Oklahoma
Constitution, shall operate an allotment system similar to the
procedure set out in the Oklahoma State Finance Act for other
agencies of the state except that the Oklahoma State Regents for
Higher Education shall be substituted for the Director of the Office
of Management and Enterprise Services in connection with approving
ENGR. H. B. NO. 4344 Page 2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
allotment requests of the constituent institutions comprising The
Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.
2. The account classification for the State System of Higher
Education shall conform as nearly as possible with the
classification of accounts recommended by the National Committee on
Standard Reports for Institutions of Higher Education.
3. The Board of Regents shall allocate to each institution
under its control from the consolidated, or lump sum appropriation
made by the Legislature, an amount sufficient to meet the needs and
functions of each institution for the entire year.
4. The amount allocated to each institution for each fiscal
year in accordance with Article XIII-A of the Oklahoma Constitution,
shall be made in a lump sum without regard to uniform budget or
accounting classifications, but shall not be available for
expenditure until subsequently allotted by the Regents in accordance
with the uniform budget and accounting classifications recommended
by the National Committee on Standard Reports.
B. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may reduce
the allocation of funds which could otherwise be made to an
institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education in
order to make payments for leases within the lease financing program
authorized by Section 3206.6a of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes
or for annual obligations authorized by subsection D of Section
3980.4 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
ENGR. H. B. NO. 4344 Page 3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
C. 1. The Regents, with the approval of the Director of the
Office of Management and Enterprise Services, may allot money to any
constituent institution to set up and operate a petty cash fund at
such institution. Such petty cash fund shall be reimbursed upon the
filing of claims showing the purposes for which the funds were
expended.
2. The Division of Central Accounting and Reporting shall make
cash allocations of revenue in accordance with Section 23 of Article
X of the Oklahoma Constitution, to each of the constituent
institutions. These cash allocations shall be based on the
allocations made by the Regents to each institution from the lump
sum legislative appropriations and such allocation shall be the
total appropriation for each institution, in lieu of legislative
appropriations.
3. After these funds have been allocated and allotted as
provided in this section, all institutional income shall operate as
a continuing nonfiscal appropriation which may be spent for any
educational and general purposes for which appropriated funds may be
spent. "Institutional income" for such purposes shall mean all
income available for educational and general purposes, as defined in
the uniform budget and accounting classifications recommended by the
National Committee on Standard Reports, and including income defined
by law as revolving fund income. Expenditures shall be limited to
the extent that obligations as they are incurred may not exceed the
ENGR. H. B. NO. 4344 Page 4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
unencumbered balance of cash on hand in accordance with Section 23
of Article X of the Oklahoma Constitution.
D. 1. At least thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of each
fiscal year, each of the constituent institutions shall file with
the Regents its request for appropriation allotments for each of the
purposes for which expenditures are to be made.
2. Such requests shall be broken down to conform to the uniform
budget or accounting classifications recommended by the National
Committee on Standard Reports.
3. Each institution's request for appropriation allotments
shall show the amount required to finance each item of the request
for the entire year and for each quarter or each six-month period
within the fiscal year, as required by the Director of the Office of
Management and Enterprise Services.
E. The Regents, or the official or employee who has been
authorized to approve itemized allotment requests, shall consider
the allotment requests for the purpose of making a determination
whether:
1. The current financial requirements of the institution
concerned justify the allotment to be made;
2. The accounting classification is sufficient to reflect the
purpose for which expenditures are to be made and that such
classification is in accordance with the budget classifications
adopted by the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise
ENGR. H. B. NO. 4344 Page 5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Services and the Regents, which shall conform as nearly as possible
to the account classification recommended by the National Committee
on Standard Reports for Institutions of Higher Education; and
3. The realization of estimated revenues determined by the
Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services is
sufficient to allow the commitments to be made.
F. 1. In allotting appropriations and other funds, and
approving subsequent allotments which may be required by each
institution, the Regents shall follow the same general procedure set
forth in the Oklahoma State Finance Act for other agencies of the
state not under the control of the Regents, except as otherwise
provided in this section.
2. All forms and account classifications shall be mutually
agreed upon by the Director of the Office of Management and
Enterprise Services and the State Regents.
3. The Regents shall file approved requests of constituent
institutions with the Division of Central Accounting and Reporting
and such requests shall be entered on the records of the Office of
Management and Enterprise Services in the same manner as is provided
in the Oklahoma State Finance Act for other agencies of the state.
4. The State Regents and the Director of the Office of
Management and Enterprise Services shall approve any request from
the administrative head of a constituent institution for amendment
of the approved schedule of positions and salaries, or transfers
ENGR. H. B. NO. 4344 Page 6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
between items, so long as the currently approved allotment for such
purposes is not exceeded. Each such amendment shall be filed with
the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, in such detail as
may be required, prior to the date on which the first payroll or
other disbursement affected by such amendment or transfer is
submitted for payment.
G. 1. In the event that the realization of estimated revenues
at any time during the fiscal year indicates that the total revenue
for that fiscal year to any state fund will be insufficient at the
end of the fiscal year to meet the total appropriations from that
fund, the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise
Services shall notify the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
Education as to the amount of reduction necessary against the
consolidated, or lump sum appropriations, made to the Regents.
2. The Regents, in making itemized allotments during the fiscal
year, may reserve an amount sufficient to meet a reasonable failure
of revenue until receipt of notice from the Director of the Office
of Management and Enterprise Services that the realization of
estimated revenues indicates that the total appropriation may be
allotted for expenditure. Upon receipt of notice from the Director
of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services of a necessary
reduction in the consolidated, or lump sum appropriation, to meet a
failure in revenue, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
shall immediately take action to control the approval of subsequent
ENGR. H. B. NO. 4344 Page 7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
allotment requests sufficient to make the aggregate reduction in
allotments of all constituent institutions under their control equal
the amount of reduction ordered against the lump sum appropriation
made by the Legislature. Such reductions against the lump sum
appropriation shall not exceed the percentage reduction ordered
against other agencies of the state in accordance with Section 23 of
Article X of the Oklahoma Constitution.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
Passed the House of Representatives the 23rd day of March, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the _____ day of _______, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the Senate