Merit Institute Merit

The Oklahoma Merit-Based Credentialing Act (OK-ACSA)

Oklahoma state companion to ACSA. Extends Oklahoma's 2021 universal occupational-licensure recognition, the Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development framework, and the Okla. Stat. Title 68 income-tax credit regime.

THE OKLAHOMA MERIT-BASED CREDENTIALING ACT (OK-ACSA)

Vehicle: State passage. Oklahoma Legislature, regular session. Primary referral to House Business and Commerce / Appropriations and Budget and Senate Business, Commerce and Tourism / Appropriations; occupational-licensure provisions to House / Senate General Government.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Oklahoma Merit-Based Credentialing Act (OK-ACSA).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that Oklahoma enacted universal occupational-licensure recognition in 2021 under Okla. Stat. Title 59 Sec. 4100.1 et seq.; that the Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development operates under Okla. Stat. Title 40 Ch. 15; that the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education administer postsecondary coordination under Okla. Stat. Title 70 Sec. 3201 et seq.; that the Oklahoma Promise program operates under Okla. Stat. Title 70 Sec. 2601; that Okla. Stat. Title 68 Sec. 2357 provides income-tax credits including the R&D credit; and that Oklahoma operates CareerTech through the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education under Okla. Stat. Title 70 Ch. 14. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH OKLAHOMA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Oklahoma Recognized Merit Credential” or “OKRMC” means a competency-based credential designated by the Chancellor of Higher Education in coordination with the State Director of Career and Technology Education under Sec. 201.
  2. (b) “Federal FRAC” means a Federally Recognized Alternative Credential under Section 202 of the federal ACSA.
  3. (c) “CareerTech industry credential” means a credential recognized by the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.
  4. (d) “Covered State licensing authority” means an agency issuing an occupational license under Okla. Stat. Title 59 or comparable chapter.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Oklahoma Law

  1. (a) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to duplicate or conflict with:
  • Okla. Stat. Title 59 Sec. 4100.1 et seq. (universal licensure recognition).
  • Okla. Stat. Title 70 Sec. 3201 et seq. (Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education).
  • Okla. Stat. Title 70 Sec. 2601 (Oklahoma Promise).
  • Okla. Stat. Title 70 Ch. 14 (Career and Technology Education).
  • Okla. Stat. Title 40 Ch. 15 (workforce development).
  • Okla. Stat. Title 68 Ch. 23 (income tax) and Sec. 2357 (credits).
  • Okla. Stat. Title 74 Ch. 27A (Oklahoma Personnel Act; state employment).

TITLE II — OKLAHOMA RECOGNIZED MERIT CREDENTIALS

Sec. 201. Designation Authority

  1. (a) The Chancellor of Higher Education, in coordination with the State Director of Career and Technology Education, shall maintain an Oklahoma Recognized Merit Credentials registry (“OKRMC Registry”) in machine-readable form, updated at least annually, and crosswalked to the Federal FRAC list.
  2. (b) A credential is included if it is a CareerTech industry credential, a Federal FRAC, or satisfies standards adopted by the Chancellor in coordination with CareerTech.

Sec. 202. Degree-Optional State Employment

  1. (a) Okla. Stat. Title 74 (Oklahoma Personnel Act) shall be applied so that an OKRMC-holder satisfies any position qualification stated in terms of a college degree, unless expressly required by Oklahoma statute.
  2. (b) The Office of Management and Enterprise Services shall publish annual reporting.

TITLE III — TAX INCENTIVE FOR SKILLS-BASED HIRING

Sec. 301. Oklahoma Skills-Based Hiring Income-Tax Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to Okla. Stat. Title 68 Sec. 2357 equal to a percentage of qualified first-year wages paid to an Oklahoma-domiciled employee whose qualifying pathway is an OKRMC or Federal FRAC.
  2. (b) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45AA credit; annual cap set by the General Appropriations Act.
  3. (c) Oklahoma Tax Commission administers consistent with existing Sec. 2357 mechanics.

TITLE IV — OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE PORTABILITY

Sec. 401. Licensure by Demonstrated Competency

  1. (a) A covered State licensing authority shall provide a demonstrated-competency pathway for any occupation for which no specific degree is required by Oklahoma statute, accepting an OKRMC, a Federal FRAC, or examination-plus-supervised-experience combination.

Sec. 402. Interstate Recognition for Federal-Fund Recipients

  1. (a) A covered State licensing authority receiving Federal workforce funds under 29 U.S.C. Sec. 3161 et seq. shall recognize an out-of-state holder of an OKRMC or Federal FRAC, consistent with Section 401 of the federal ACSA and Okla. Stat. Title 59 Sec. 4100.1 et seq.

TITLE V — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 501. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 502. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect November 1 of the year following enactment, except that Sec. 301 shall apply to tax years beginning on or after January 1 of that year.

Canonical federal version: ACSA. Other Oklahoma bills: OK-MEWRA, OK-GT&P, OK-AI-Workforce.