Education

signed · Oklahoma · House May 14, 2025

HB 2287: Education; per-pupil expenditure definition; effective date; emergency.

HB 2287 clarifies and expands how Oklahoma defines "per-pupil expenditure" for reporting purposes. It requires school districts and the state to calculate this metric by dividing total daily school operation costs (including instruction, student support, administration, transportation, and nutrition) by the student count as of October 1. The bill specifically adds categories like career and technology education and concurrent graduation courses to the definition while excluding non-operational costs (e.g., building construction, debt). This change ensures the State Department of Education must publish detailed breakdowns of all spending categories alongside the overall per-pupil figure, starting July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands per-pupil expenditure definition to include career tech and concurrent courses, ensuring these programs are counted in funding calculations.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 796: Higher education; prohibiting certain activities related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 796 prohibits Oklahoma public universities from using state funds, property, or resources for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs that grant preferential treatment based on race, ethnicity, sex, or national origin. It bans mandatory DEI training, pronoun disclosure requirements, and diversity statements in hiring, while allowing programs supporting first-generation students, low-income students, or underserved groups without race-based preferences. Universities must review and potentially restructure non-compliant DEI initiatives by July 2025 and submit annual compliance certificates starting July 2026. The bill exempts accreditation requirements, academic freedom, student organizations, and data collection from its restrictions.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationProhibits state-funded DEI programs using race/ethnicity preferences in higher ed, restricting diversity initiatives while banning mandatory DEI training.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Education

signed · Oklahoma · House May 12, 2025

HB 1393: Special education; individual education program; parental consent; effective date; emergency.

HB 1393 amends Oklahoma's special education law to clarify how alternate achievement standards are applied in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities. It replaces the phrase "based on alternate academic achievement standards" with language requiring assessments "that promote access to and progress in the general education curriculum." This change directly affects students with disabilities in Oklahoma public schools who use alternate assessments, ensuring their IEPs focus on meaningful engagement with standard curriculum content. The bill specifies that alternate assessments must support students' ability to access and advance in regular classroom learning, not just measure them against different standards. The amendment became law after Governor approval on May 9, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAmends special education law to require assessments promoting access to general curriculum for students with disabilities, strengthening educational access and inclusion in K-12 schools.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

passed both · Oklahoma · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 331: Schools; creating the Emerson Kate Cole Act; requiring a school employee to call 911 if Epinephrine is administered to a student; requiring certain training. Effective date. Emergency.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires school staff training and emergency protocols for allergic reactions, strengthening student safety in K-12 school operations.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates school staff training and 911 calls for epinephrine administration during allergic reactions, improving emergency medical response access and protecting student health in schools.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

Track

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 364: Schools; prohibiting use of corporal punishment on any student identified with a disability.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProhibits corporal punishment for students with disabilities, protecting vulnerable learners and aligning with special education safeguards under federal law.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Oklahoma · House May 7, 2025

HB 1995: Crimes and punishments; definitions of sex crimes; designating school resource officers as employees of a school system; emergency.

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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands rape definition to protect minors from school staff, strengthening legal accountability and victim protections in criminal justice context.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enhances student safety by defining staff-student sexual acts as rape and designating resource officers as school employees, protecting educational environments.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Oklahoma · House May 7, 2025

HB 1483: Schools; whistleblower protections; extending applicability of protections to support employees; effective date; emergency.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExtends whistleblower protections to school support staff (counselors, cafeteria workers), protecting them from retaliation for reporting violations, thus strengthening educator safety and school environment.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExtends whistleblower protections to school support staff, prohibiting retaliation for reporting violations, directly strengthening worker rights protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Oklahoma · House May 7, 2025

HB 1601: Schools; creating the Advancing Rights for Caregiving, Health, and Extended Recovery (Maternity Leave Protection for Teachers) Act; effective date.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExtends maternity leave for public school teachers, protecting employment during pregnancy-related needs and strengthening educator welfare within K-12 education policy.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates extended leave for pregnancy-related health needs, protecting teachers' access to healthcare during maternity without penalty, aligning with patient rights protection.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExtends maternity leave protections for teachers, creating dedicated leave beyond standard sick leave for pregnancy needs, strengthening employment standards and workers' rights.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 7, 2025

SB 283: Oklahoma State System of Higher Education; expanding annual transaction limit of the master lease program. Effective date.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands master lease program access for higher ed institutions, enabling cost-effective facility/equipment upgrades without upfront costs, supporting institutional infrastructure funding.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Oklahoma · House May 7, 2025

HB 1465: Schools; teacher pay computations; military service; teacher salaries; effective date; emergency.

HB 1465 updates Oklahoma teacher salary rules to count up to five years of military service (including National Guard) during a national emergency toward salary increments and retirement benefits. This directly affects Oklahoma public school teachers who served in the military, allowing their service to count toward their salary progression and retirement eligibility. The bill caps this credit at five years total, regardless of the service period. It became effective without the Governor's signature on May 7, 2025, and modifies existing salary schedules to reflect this change.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationUpdates teacher pay rules to count military service toward salary increments and retirement benefits, directly supporting educators' compensation and benefits.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill enhances teacher compensation and retirement benefits by counting military service toward salary increments, directly advancing employment benefits for educators.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill counts military service toward teacher salary increments/retirement, recognizing veteran service for career advancement in education sector.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education