Journalist: Sydni Callaway (OSU)
Rep. Thomas Duncan (OU) presented OU-504, known as the “Student Education Reward for Volunteer Efforts (SERVE)” Act of 2026, to the House of Representatives this afternoon. The SERVE Act aims to create the SERVE Program, mimicking a GI Bill, but instead the program will serve in a domestic view for a tuition waiver for Oklahomans seeking higher education.
The tuition waiver will be administered by allowing students to develop contracts for public service in an approved domestic program. Qualifying students that complete these services will be eligible for a tuition waiver at a public Oklahoma university. When asked about eligibility for students to receive this waiver, an application process was suggested. However, determining who gets priority in the application process is not outlined in the legislation. Duncan says that those who get priority are “those who do the requirements outlined in the legislation” and that the “amount of contracts [are] given out on availability.”
In his author’s explanation, Duncan recognized that the funding would be a controversial aspect of the legislation. He implies that the SERVE Program aims to be similar to Oklahoma’s Promise, a tuition waiver for low-income college students wanting to attend a public university in Oklahoma.
Rather than raising taxes, Duncan proposes a trust fund utilized and monitored by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. The proposed fund will accrue 3% interest and not touch the principal. The bill states “no such income or investment return or principal shall be used for administrative expenses” and that all expenses incurred “shall be paid from monies appropriated to the State Regents coordinating board for their general operating budget.”
Assuming that all applicants take up the funds allocated for this program, Duncan says that “it is up to the discretion of the state regents.”
This bill received support from the body ultimately passing with a vote of 67-3.