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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
HOUSE BILL 2827 By: Blancett
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to schools; creating a gran t program
subject to the availability of funds to employ school
nurses, school counselors, and mental health
professionals; providing for annual grant awards to
school districts; establishing criteria for grants;
defining terms; authorizing rule promulgati on;
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 Statu tes as Section 1210.198 of Title 70, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, rea ds as follows:
A. The State Board of Education shall award grants subject to
the availability of funds, to public school districts for the
purpose of employing school nurses, school counselors, and mental
health professionals to prov ide services and support to students.
B. The grants shall be awarded to public school districts
annually based upon the following conditions:
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1. The districts shall provide half of the funding for the
grants and the State Board of Education shall provide the other ha lf
of the grant funding;
2. School nurses, school counselors, and mental health
professionals employed through the grant program shall complete a
training program prescribe d by the State Department of Education;
3. School nurses, school counselors, and mental health
professionals may be employed by a district on a full -time or part-
time basis, or may be employed on a contract basis with a privat e,
third-party provider; and
4. School nurses, school counselors, and mental health
professionals employed through the grant program shall spend a
minimum amount of time on their respective nursing and counseling
duties as required by the State Department of Education.
C. As used in this section:
1. "Mental health professio nals" means:
a. licensed professional counselors (LPCs),
b. licensed alcohol and drug counselors (LADCs) ,
c. school psychologists,
d. licensed marriage and family t herapists (LMFTs),
e. licensed clinical social w orkers (LCSWs), or
f. licensed recreational therapists (CTRS/L) ;
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2. "School counselor" means a person certified as a school
counselor by the State Board of Education who provides student
support counseling, academic counseling, or b oth; and
3. "School nurse" shall have the same meaning a s defined in
paragraph 7 of Section 1 -116 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
D. The State Board of Education may promulgate rules to
implement the provisions of this section.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023.
SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary f or 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 approval.
59-1-6991 EK 01/18/23