Education; creating the Free to Speak Act; prohibiting public school and certain institution of higher learning employees from addressing certain students in certain manner. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 591, the "Free to Speak Act," requires public school and state university employees in Oklahoma to use a student's legal name and pronouns matching the student's sex as listed on their original birth certificate, without parental permission for minors. It prohibits disciplinary action against employees who refuse to use preferred names or pronouns inconsistent with birth certificate sex, and protects students from discipline for the same refusal. The law defines "sex" based on biological reproductive systems as recorded on a person's birth certificate, excluding gender identity. Violations allow affected employees or students to sue within two years for damages or injunctions. This applies to public schools and state higher education institutions, excluding private schools and homeschools.