Sen. Aaron Reinhardt

Maddy summaryHB 1159 allows Oklahoma students to transfer between schools within their district at any time during the school year, unless the receiving school's grade level has reached capacity. If capacity is exceeded, transfers prioritize students with siblings at the school, children of district employees, students changing residence within the district, those in specialized programs, and foster care students with siblings. School districts must adopt and publicly post policies by July 2024 setting transfer capacity limits and preference order, and report these to the state. The bill limits students to two intra-district transfers per school year (with the option to return to their home school anytime) and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 798 modifies Oklahoma's teacher licensure rules by restricting when the State Board of Education can revoke or suspend teaching certificates. It requires the Board to provide at least 10 days' notice to both the educator and their school district before initiating revocation proceedings, and prohibits "summary" actions except in emergencies. Certificates may only be revoked for specific reasons: serious misconduct (like child abuse), violation of law, moral turpitude, incompetence, or neglect of duty. The bill also establishes a dedicated "Teachers’ Certification Fund" for licensure administration, with unspent balances over $10,000 transferred to the state general fund. These changes directly affect licensed educators and school districts by altering the process for license enforcement.

Maddy summaryHB 2242 creates the "Inspired to Teach Program" to support future educators in Oklahoma. It provides scholarship funding covering tuition, fees, and living costs for undergraduate teacher education students (up to $5,500 total) and graduate students in school counseling, special education, or administration (up to $4,500 total), based on credit hours completed. Participants must agree to teach or work in Oklahoma public schools (pre-K-12) for five consecutive years after graduation and maintain academic standards. The program requires the State Regents to establish a committee to evaluate effectiveness and report annually to the Legislature.

Maddy summarySB 1061 establishes new fee structures for mortgage brokers, lenders, and loan originators in Oklahoma. It requires a $1,200 application fee covering all locations and sets annual renewal fees at a base $1,000 plus a volume-based fee calculated as 0.008% of total Oklahoma loan originations and servicing. The bill caps renewal fees at $40,000 for originations and $17,500-$27,500 for servicing, with increasing limits starting November 1, 2024. These fees apply to licenses issued under Oklahoma's mortgage licensing law, directly affecting licensed mortgage professionals operating in the state.

Maddy summarySB 798 changes Oklahoma's teacher certification rules by limiting when the State Board of Education can revoke or suspend teaching certificates. It specifies that revocations or suspensions may only occur for five reasons: willful law violations, child abuse, moral turpitude, incompetence, or neglect of duty. The bill also requires the Board to provide certified staff and their school districts with at least 10 days' notice before filing revocation complaints, prohibiting summary actions without due process. This directly affects teachers, principals, and other certified school personnel in Oklahoma public schools. The law updates existing certification procedures without altering fee collection or fund management rules.