Req. No. 1085 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 1st Session of the 58th Legislature (2021) SENATE BILL 210 By: Howard AS INTRODUCED An Act relating to school district boards of education; providing for removal of board of education member by recall petition; establishi ng signature threshold for recall petition; requiring filing of recall petition; directing form for recall petition to be prescribed; prohibiting signature s on petition from being deemed valid if signed outside of certain time period; requiring a school di strict board of education to order and fix date for certain election; requiring certain notification; prohibiting election from being held within certain time frame ; providing for filing of declarat ions of candidacy; providing for incumbent to continue ser ving under certain condition; providing for seating of incumbent or successor; providing for codification; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency . BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 5-107C of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numb ering, reads as follows: A. A member of a school district board of education may be removed from office by means of a recall petition demanding the removal of a board member and the elec tion of a successor to t he member. The recall petition shall be signed by not less than fifty - Req. No. 1085 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 one percent (51%) of the qualified electors of the board district based on the total number of votes cast at the l ast board district election. The recall petiti on shall be filed wi th the school district board of education. The petition shall contain a specific statement of the grounds on which removal is sought. The form for the recall petition shall be prescribed by the State E lection Board. No signature on a petition shall be de emed valid if signed more than six (6) months prior to the filing of the petition . B. Upon presentation of a recall petition as provided for in subsection A of this section, a school district board of education shall, within ten (10) days, order and fix a date for holding the election. The board of education shall notify , by resolution, the secretary of the county election board as provided for in Sec tion 13A-109 of Title 26 of the Oklahoma Statutes. An election shall not be held prior to one hundred eighty (180) days after the board of education member has take n office or within one hundred eighty (1 80) days before the next board district election. C. Any member of a school district board of education sought to be removed pursuant to the provisions of this section may be a candidate to succeed himself or herself. Candidates wishing to succeed the member shall file declarations of candidacy in the sa me place and manner as a general election for a member as provided for in Section 13A-105 of Title 26 of the Oklahoma Statutes . If after Req. No. 1085 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 the filing period is closed no candidate has filed, the incumbent member shall continue to serve on the board of educa tion. D. 1. If the incumbent member is elected, the member shall continue to serve on the board of education. 2. If an individual other than the incumbent member is elected, the incumbent shall be deemed removed from office upon or at the time the winner of the election is declared. The successor shall assume the office within ten (1 0) days after receiving notification of the election results. He or she shall hold office for the unexpired term of the predecessor. SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2021. 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 this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval. 58-1-1085 EB 12/30/2020 1:19:10 PM