Text of OK HB 3132 (2026)

Req. No. 13976 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 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026) HOUSE BILL 3132 By: West (Kevin) AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to higher education; creating the Selecting Neutral Accreditors Act; defining terms; directing state institutions of higher education boards of regents to review accrediting agencies for diversity, equity, and inclusion practices; requiring certain action if diversity, equity, and inclusion practices found; directing review of new accrediting agencies for diversity, equity, and inclusion practices; requiring certain action if diversity, equity, and inclusion practices are found; authorizing Attorney General to request information; finding presumption of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices if failure to respond by accrediting agency; authorizing Attorney General to provide notice of presumption; voiding certain agreements between institutions and accrediting agencies; providing for investigation and enforcement by Attorney General; 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 "Selecting Neutral Accreditors Act". Req. No. 13976 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 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 related to sex- segregated facilities such as dormitories and 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 Req. No. 13976 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 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. On or before July 1, 2027, the board of regents of each institution of higher education shall review each of its accrediting agencies to determine if any such agencies have adopted or used in the past five (5) years any diversity, equity, and inclusion practice or procedure in connection with accreditation. If so, the board of regents shall promptly: 1. Begin the process to change to an accrediting agency that has not adopted or used any diversity, equity, and inclusion practice or procedure in the past five (5) years; or 2. If there is no accrediting agency that meets the requirement of paragraph 1 of this subsection for an institution or program, the board of regents shall promptly: a. report the findings to the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma State Senate, b. review at least annually whether a qualifying accreditor exists, and Req. No. 13976 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 c. if such an accreditor exists, promptly begin the process to change to such accreditor. C. Prior to beginning any new accreditation or pre- accreditation process or renewal, the board of regents of each institution of higher education shall review applicable accreditors that could be selected and select an accrediting agency that has not adopted or used any diversity, equity, and inclusion practice or procedure in the preceding five (5) years from the date the accreditation or pre-accreditation process or renewal commences. If there is no accrediting agency that meets this requirement, the board of regents shall proceed with the requirements in paragraph 2 of subsection B of this section. D. If an accrediting agency fails to fully respond to a request by the board of regents or the Attorney General under this act, including a voluntary request for information, there shall be a presumption that the accrediting agency adopted or used a diversity, equity, and inclusion practice or procedure within the preceding five (5) years for purposes of this section. The Attorney General shall provide notice to the board of regents and accrediting agency of the Attorney General's determination of such failure to respond and a ten-day opportunity to cure such failure. E. Any agreement or understanding between an institution of higher education or the board of regents and an accrediting agency to circumvent or otherwise violate this act shall be void. The Req. No. 13976 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 Attorney General shall have the same investigative and enforcement powers as are provided in the Oklahoma Deceptive Trade Practices Act related to any institution of higher education, accrediting agency, or person for which there is reason to believe the institution, accrediting agency, or person violated or participated in the violation of this act. SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026. 60-2-13976 AQH 11/12/25