Oklahoma § 70-3251

§ 70-3251.

Prohibited uses of funds, property, or resources.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools

A. No institution of higher education within The Oklahoma State

System of Higher Education shall utilize state funds, property, or

resources to:

1. Grant or support diversity, equity, and inclusion positions,

departments, activities, procedures, or programs to the extent they

grant preferential treatment based on one person’s particular race,

color, ethnicity, or national origin over another’s;

2. Mandate any person to participate in, listen to, or receive

any education, training, activities, procedures, or programming to

the extent such education, training, activities, procedures, or

programming grants preferences based on one person’s particular

race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin over another’s;

3. Mandate any person swear, certify, or agree to any loyalty

oath that favors or prefers one particular race, color, sex,

ethnicity, or national origin over another’s;

4. Mandate any person to certify or declare agreement with,

recognition of, or adherence to any particular political,

philosophical, religious, or other ideological viewpoint;

5. Mandate any applicant for employment provide a diversity,

equity, and inclusion statement or give any applicant for employment

preferential consideration based on the provision of such a

diversity, equity, and inclusion statement; or

6. Mandate any person to disclose his or her pronouns.

B. After the effective date of this act, institutions of higher

education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education shall

initiate a review of diversity, equity, and inclusion positions,

departments, activities, procedures, and programs and, if deemed

necessary, restructure or eliminate functions that are not necessary

for compliance, accreditation, or student or employee support

services intended to broadly support success.

C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or

prohibit institutions of higher education within The Oklahoma State

System of Higher Education, including any agency of the executive

branch supporting those institutions’ work, from applying for a

grant or complying with the accreditation requirements of an

accrediting or licensing agency including, but not limited to,

submitting to the grantor or accreditation agency a statement that:

1. Highlights the institution’s or agency’s work in supporting:

a.

first-generation college students,

b.

students from low-income families,

c.

students with unique abilities, or

d.

underserved student populations; or

2. Certifies compliance with applicable anti-discrimination

laws, rules, and regulations.

D. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to

apply to institutions of higher education within The Oklahoma State

System of Higher Education with respect to:

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools

1. A policy, practice, procedure, program, class, or activity

required for compliance with state or federal laws, rules, or

regulations for obtaining or retaining institutional, academic, or

discipline-specific accreditation or licensure;

2. The academic freedom of any individual faculty member to

direct the instruction within his or her own course;

3. Scholarly research or creative work by an institution of

higher education’s students, faculty, or other research personnel or

the dissemination of such research or work;

4. An activity of a student organization registered with or

recognized by an institution of higher education;

5. Guest speakers or performances on short-term engagements;

6. Academic support, tutoring, and career services and student

success centers, so long as the programming is designed and

implemented without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, or

ethnicity;

7. Data collection; or

8. Access programs for military, veterans, Pell Grant

recipients, first-generation college students, students from lowincome families, students with unique abilities, or underserved

student populations.

E. By July 1, 2026, and each July 1 thereafter, institutions of

higher education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher

Education shall electronically submit to the Governor, the President

Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of

Representatives a certificate of compliance with the provisions of

this section.

F. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the

promotion of civil discourse, debate, or speech that is protected by

the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

G. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may

promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section.

Added by Laws 2025, c. 139, § 1, eff. July 1, 2025.