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Req. No. 2266 Page 1
STATE OF OKLAHOMA 1
2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026) 2
SENATE BILL NO. 1187 By: Jett 3
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AS INTRODUCED 6
An Act relating to higher education; stating 7
legislative findings; directing certain institutions 8
of higher education to establish certain square or 9
plaza for certain purpose; directing the Oklahoma 10
State Regents for Higher Education to establish 11
certain guidelines; requiring certain governing 12
boards to submit certain plan to the Legislature by 13
certain date; requiring the Legislature to approve 14
plans by certain method; allowing approval of certain 15
modifications; requiring squares or plazas to include 16
certain signage; requiring plans to include certain 17
statue; requiring the Legislature to approve certain 18
statue; authorizing acceptance of certain donations; 19
allowing matching funds; allowing certain private 20
institutions to apply for grant funds; requiring 21
completion of square or plaza by certain date; 22
requiring collection of fine for certain 23
noncompliance; providing for deposit of fines; 24
allowing the Legislature to extend certain deadline 25
by certain method; requiring submission of annual 26
report; requiring certain security measures for 27
square or plaza; providing penalties for defacement 28
or vandalism; directing the State Regents to 29
establish certain procedures; providing for 30
promulgation of rules; providing for codification; 31
and declaring an emergency. 32
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: 35
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified 36
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in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3205.15 of Title 70, unless 1
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: 2
A. The Legislature finds that: 3
1. Charlie Kirk, born on October 14, 1993, and tragically 4
martyred by assassination on September 10, 2025, was a fearless 5
defender of free speech, the founder and chief executive officer of 6
Turning Point USA, and a transformative force in empowering young 7
Americans to engage in open, robust discourse on college campuses; 8
2. In his honor and to perpetuate his legacy as a martyr for 9
truth, faith, and the First Amendment, each institution within The 10
Oklahoma State System of Higher Education shall establish on its 11
campus a dedicated square or plaza; and 12
3. Each such dedicated square or plaza shall be designated as 13
the Charlie Kirk Memorial Plaza to remind all to foster an 14
environment of intellectual freedom, civic engagement, and the 15
principles Kirk championed, ensuring that future generations 16
remember his courage, faith, sacrifice, and contributions to 17
American liberty. 18
B. Each institution of higher education within The Oklahoma 19
State System of Higher Education shall designate and develop a 20
prominent area on its main campus as the Charlie Kirk Memorial 21
Plaza. The square or plaza shall be located in a highly visible and 22
easily accessible location, such as near the central quad, student 23
union, or main entrance pathways, to maximize public awareness and 24
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utilization. 1
C. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall 2
establish guidelines for the minimum size and configuration of each 3
square or plaza required by subsection B of this section. The 4
guidelines shall provide allowances for proportionally reduced 5
dimensions at smaller institutions of higher education based on 6
campus acreage, student enrollment, and available space. 7
Notwithstanding such guidelines, all squares or plazas shall meet 8
the prominence and accessibility requirements of subsection B of 9
this section. 10
D. Prior to finalizing any square or plaza, the governing board 11
of each institution of higher education within The Oklahoma State 12
System of Higher Education shall submit a detailed plan to the 13
Legislature no later than March 1, 2027. The plan shall include a 14
proposed location, size, design elements, and a projected timeline 15
for completion. The Legislature shall review and approve, through a 16
resolution, the location and size of each square or plaza. The 17
Legislature may, through a resolution, approve or direct 18
modifications to any aspects of the proposed square or plaza design 19
including, but not limited to, location, size, landscaping, signage, 20
and commemorative features to ensure consistency with the purpose of 21
the square or plaza to honor the legacy of Charlie Kirk. 22
E. Each square or plaza shall include permanent signage 23
commemorating Charlie Kirk’s courage and faith and explaining the 24
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significance of Charlie Kirk as a voice of a generation, modern 1
civil rights leader, vocal Christian, martyr for truth and faith, 2
and free speech advocate. Square or plaza plans shall include a 3
statue of Charlie Kirk sitting at a table with an empty seat across 4
from him or a statue of Charlie Kirk and his wife standing and 5
holding their children in their arms as a central element of the 6
square or plaza design. The statue design and size shall be 7
approved by the Legislature as part of the overall design review and 8
approval process. 9
F. 1. Institutions of higher education within The Oklahoma 10
State System of Higher Education are authorized to accept donations 11
from the National Endowment for the Arts and any private, corporate, 12
or public source to fund the development, maintenance, and 13
enhancement of the squares or plazas and any associated statues. 14
Subject to the availability of funds, the Legislature may 15
appropriate donation matching funds to encourage broad-based support 16
for the squares or plazas. 17
2. Private institutions of higher education in this state may 18
apply to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for grant 19
funds to establish a Charlie Kirk Memorial Plaza on their campuses. 20
Subject to the availability of funds, grant funds shall be provided 21
in a manner consistent with funds provided to institutions pursuant 22
to paragraph 1 of this subsection for a square or plaza of similar 23
size and style. 24
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G. 1. Each institution of higher education within The Oklahoma 1
State System of Higher Education shall complete construction and 2
full operational readiness of its Charlie Kirk Memorial Plaza no 3
later than March 1, 2028. 4
2. Failure to meet the deadline established by paragraph 1 of 5
this subsection shall result in a punitive fine of one percent (1%) 6
of the institution of higher education’s appropriated budget for 7
each month of noncompliance. Collected fines shall be deposited 8
into the General Revenue Fund. 9
3. The Legislature, by concurrent resolution, may extend the 10
deadline established by paragraph 1 of this subsection for 11
individual institutions of higher education that have started but 12
not yet completed construction of the square or plaza. 13
4. By March 1, 2027, and by March 1 each subsequent year, the 14
State Regents shall submit a report to the Legislature on progress 15
and compliance with the provisions of this section. 16
H. 1. The governing board of each institution of higher 17
education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education shall 18
take appropriate security measures to ensure the Charlie Kirk 19
Memorial Plaza and statues of Charlie Kirk are protected from 20
vandalism and defacement. The measures may include, but are not 21
limited to, security camera systems and physical barriers. 22
2. Any student, employee, or faculty member of an institution 23
of higher education found to have engaged in the defacement or 24
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vandalism of the Charlie Kirk Memorial Plaza or a statue of Charlie 1
Kirk shall be immediately terminated from enrollment or employment, 2
as applicable, in addition to other penalties which may include, but 3
are not limited to, monetary fines sufficient to cover the cost of 4
repairing any damage caused. 5
3. The State Regents shall establish procedures for rapidly 6
investigating and enforcing the provisions of this subsection while 7
prioritizing the preservation of the Charlie Kirk Memorial Plaza and 8
statue of Charlie Kirk. 9
I. The State Regents shall promulgate rules to implement the 10
provisions of this section including reporting requirements and 11
guidelines for usage of the square or plaza to ensure it remains a 12
neutral forum for protected speech. 13
SECTION 2. It being immediately necessary for the preservation 14
of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby 15
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and 16
be in full force from and after its passage and approval. 17
60-2-2266 EB 09/16/2025 18