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ENGROSSED SENATE
BILL NO. 1544 By: Pederson, Treat, Bergstrom,
Bullard, Stephens, and Jett
of the Senate
and
Conley of the House
An Act relating to schools; defining terms;
prohibiting certain schools from knowingly entering
into certain transaction; providing certain
exception; providing for promulgation of rules;
directing certain governing boards to adopt certain
policy; directing the State Board of Education to
require certain boards that violate certain
provisions to appear before it to make certain
determination; providing for co dification; providing
an effective date; and declaring an emergency .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE P EOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 24-159 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numb ering, reads as follows:
A. As used in this section :
1. “Abortion” means the term as de fined in Section 1-730 of
Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes; and
2. “Transaction” means a formal or informa l agreement,
contract, or arrangement o f any kind between a public school, public
charter school, or public virtual charter school and a private
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entity, regardless of whether the private entity or the school
receives anything of value in return .
B. A public school, public charter school, or public virtual
charter school shall not enter into a transaction with an individual
or entity that performs abortions, induces abortions, or provides
abortions unless the entity is a hospital licensed pursuant to
Section 1-702 of Title 63 which has enacted a policy to only provide
abortions when it is a medical emergency. For the purposes of this
section, "medical emergency" means a condition in w hich an abortion
is necessary to preserve the life of a pregnant woman whose life is
endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical
injury including a life -endangering physical condition caused by or
arising from the pregnancy itself .
C. The State Board of Educa tion shall promulgate rules to
implement the provisions of this section.
D. Each school district board o f education and governing board
of a public charter school or public virtual charter school shall
adopt a policy for the implementation of the provisio ns of this
section.
E. The State Board of Education shall require the board of
education of a public school and the governing board of a public
charter school or public virtual charter school that knowingly
violates the provisions of this section to appear before the Board
to determine:
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1. Why the school violated the pro visions of this section; and
2. How to prevent the violation of provisions of this section
in the future.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2022.
SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof thi s act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and appro val.
Passed the Senate the 7th day of March, 2022.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________,
2022.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives