SB 553 amends Oklahoma law to add "knowingly and willfully failing to report suspected child abuse or neglect" as a specific reason for revoking teaching licenses or certifications. It directly affects school employees (including teachers, administrators, and support staff) who hold teaching credentials. The bill requires these employees to annually sign an attestation confirming they understand reporting obligations under Oklahoma law, and establishes that the State Board of Education must follow strict notice procedures (certified mail and email within 3 days) before revoking a license for this violation. This law strengthens accountability for mandatory child abuse reporting in schools by creating clear, enforceable consequences for non-compliance.
SB 331, the Emerson Kate Cole Act, requires Oklahoma school employees to call 911 immediately after administering Epinephrine to a student experiencing an allergic reaction. It also mandates schools to notify parents or guardians when a student has a possible allergic reaction and to provide annual training for teachers and staff on recognizing anaphylaxis and using Epinephrine. The law amends existing school medication policies to clarify procedures for handling allergic emergencies and ensures staff are trained on emergency response. This directly affects students with severe allergies, school employees, and school districts across Oklahoma.
HB 1940 amends Oklahoma's charter school law to establish a new annual limit: the Statewide Charter School Board may sponsor no more than five new charter schools per year in counties with fewer than 500,000 residents. This directly affects the Statewide Charter School Board's authority and charter school expansion in smaller counties, while maintaining existing sponsorship rules for other areas. The rule applies to all new charter school applications approved after July 1, 2025, when the bill takes effect. The bill does not change sponsorship requirements for schools in larger counties or other sponsor types.
SB 364 prohibits Oklahoma public schools from using physical punishment (corporal punishment) on students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, as defined by state education criteria. It removes any prior allowance for waivers and requires that any exception must be explicitly documented in a student's individualized education program (IEP) under federal special education law. The law directly affects students with significant cognitive disabilities in Oklahoma schools, ensuring they cannot be subjected to physical punishment without specific IEP authorization. It takes effect on July 1, 2025.
HB 2888 amends Oklahoma's Tuition Equalization Grant program to set a $50,000 annual income limit for student eligibility (based on parents' income or the student's self-supporting income if independent). It directly affects Oklahoma residents attending 12 specific private, not-for-profit colleges (including Oral Roberts University and Oklahoma Baptist University) who enroll full-time as undergraduates. The bill provides a fixed $2,000 annual grant per eligible student, excludes summer terms, and limits total grant benefits to five years. It also requires institutions to maintain accreditation standards and mandates annual reports on grant recipients' academic outcomes to state leaders. The law became effective November 1, 2025.
HB 1995 expands Oklahoma's definition of rape to include sexual acts between students aged 16-19 (while under school custody) and school employees (including resource officers) who are 18 or older. It explicitly designates school resource officers as school employees for these provisions and adds similar protections for foster children under 19 and secondary school students concurrently enrolled in higher education with staff. The law specifies that such acts are rape under Section 1111, with penalties including minimum 3-year prison terms (25 years for victims under 12). It also updates related provisions in Section 1123 regarding lewd acts with children under 16.
HB 1483 extends whistleblower protections to school support employees (like counselors, cafeteria workers, and administrative staff) in Oklahoma, alongside teachers. It prohibits school districts from disciplining these employees for reporting violations of law, the Oklahoma Constitution, or rules - whether to supervisors, school boards, law enforcement, or the State Department of Education. The bill requires school districts to prominently post this law and clarifies it doesn’t override student privacy rights under FERPA. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, after being approved by the governor on May 6, 2025.
HB 1601, the "ARCHER Act," extends maternity leave protections for eligible public school teachers in Oklahoma. It amends existing sick leave rules (70 O.S. § 6-104.8) to require school districts to provide extended leave for teachers who have worked at least 1,250 hours in the past year, specifically covering pregnancy-related needs beyond standard sick leave. The bill creates a dedicated exception to current sick leave policies, ensuring teachers can take leave for maternity without losing pay, aligning with federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) standards. This directly affects full-time classroom teachers in public school districts who meet the employment threshold. The law became effective after Governor approval on May 6, 2025.
SB 942 is a clarifying amendment to an existing education discrimination bill. It adds a specific provision (subsection G) explicitly stating that the bill's provisions do not restrict the implementation, funding, or administration of Indian education programs or services established under federal or state law. This amendment directly affects existing Indian education programs by ensuring they remain protected from potential unintended restrictions under the broader anti-discrimination law. The amendment was added to the bill on February 24, 2025, and the bill became law after the governor approved it on May 6, 2025.
SB 283 expands the annual transaction limit for Oklahoma's master lease program, which allows public higher education institutions to lease equipment and facilities without upfront costs. The bill specifically adds certain refunded lease projects to the annual limit calculation, enabling institutions to count these previously settled transactions toward their yearly cap. This change affects Oklahoma's public universities and colleges that use the master lease program for facility and equipment financing. The amendment updates Section 3206.6a of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes and sets an effective date for implementation.
