SB 1237 creates Oklahoma's "Teachers' Bill of Rights," granting specific protections to public school teachers, administrators, and support staff. It directly affords rights including free expression (like keeping religious materials in classrooms, wearing faith-based jewelry, and praying with students), protection from harassment or threats, classroom discipline authority (removing disruptive students), medical privacy (refusing vaccines/masks as employment condition), and guaranteed planning time (1 hour) and lunch (20 minutes). The bill also requires school districts to establish a due process plan for reporting rights violations, including anonymous reporting and timely investigations. It takes effect July 1, 2026, and declares an emergency.
HB 4198 creates Oklahoma's "Protection from Workplace Violence Act," allowing employers to seek court-issued protective orders against former employees who harass or stalk current employees. It defines workplace harassment and stalking broadly (including repeated contact, following, or electronic communications) and sets clear procedures for filing petitions, obtaining emergency ex parte orders, and scheduling hearings. The law requires specific information in protective orders, limits hearing timelines, and establishes statewide validity for these orders. It directly affects employers (in businesses with over two employees) and current employees seeking protection from former employees’ threatening behavior.
SB 2084 caps settlement amounts for wrongful termination claims by employees of Oklahoma public institutions of higher education (like state universities) at two years of their base salary at termination. It limits total settlements to include back pay and damages but excludes accrued unpaid wages, leave, and retirement contributions already earned. The bill specifically applies to state law claims, not federal ones, and takes effect November 1, 2026. This directly affects public university employees filing termination disputes under Oklahoma law.
SB 1742 prohibits Oklahoma state employees from stating their preferred pronouns on any official work documents or communications. It defines workplace harassment to include stating preferred pronouns, requiring the Department of Labor to create standards for handling such violations, which must be approved by both legislative chambers before being distributed to all state agencies. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation upon passage. This directly affects all state employees and agencies in their official workplace communications regarding pronoun usage.
SB 2120 limits settlement amounts for wrongful termination claims by employees of Oklahoma's public institutions of higher education. It caps total settlements at two years of the employee's base salary, including back pay and compensatory damages, but excludes accrued unpaid wages and retirement contributions already earned. The bill applies only to claims under Oklahoma state law, not federal claims, and takes effect on November 1, 2026. This change directly affects public university employees who pursue wrongful termination lawsuits in state court.
SB 783 prohibits Oklahoma employers from requiring employees or job applicants to sign nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) related to workplace sexual harassment as a condition of employment. It directly affects all employees in Oklahoma who experience or report sexual harassment, ensuring they can discuss such incidents without legal restrictions. The bill allows employees to sue violators in court within six months of the violation and defines sexual harassment broadly to include unwanted advances or requests for sexual favors. The law takes effect November 1, 2025.
