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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
SENATE BILL 1014 By: Jett
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to school employees; defining term;
requiring certain notificatio n if an individual
employed by certain school is being investigated for,
has been arrested in relation to, or has been charged
with certain offenses; requiring certain board of
education to suspend the employee pending certain
outcome; prohibiting suspension from depriving
certain employee of certain compensation and
benefits; prohibiting the empl oyee from being on
school premises during suspension term; providing for
extension of suspensi on under certain circumstanc es;
requiring certain superintendent to p rovide certain
notification; requiring notificatio n to include
certain statement; providing for promulgation of
rules; providing for codification; providing an
effective date; and declari ng an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKL AHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 5-144.1 of Title 70, unless
there is created a duplication in numb ering, reads as follows:
A. As used in this section, “offenses against students” means
crimes or attempts to commit crimes provided for in Section 843.5 of
Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes if th e offense involved sexual
abuse or sexual exploitation as those terms are defined in Section
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1-1-105 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes, Section 741, 843.1,
if the offense included sexual abuse or sexual exploitation, 865 et
seq., 885, 888, 891, 1021, 1 021.2, 1021.3, 1040.13a, 1087, 1088,
1111.1, 1114, or 1123 of Title 21 of the Oklahom a Statutes.
B. If an individual employed by a public school district,
public charter school, or public virtual charter school in this
state:
1. Is being investigated for or has been arrested in relation
to offenses against students; or
2. Has been charged with offenses against students,
the law enforcement agency involved in the invest igation, arrest, or
charging shall notify the superintendent of the employing school
district, public charter school, or public virtual charter school
and the members of the board of education of the employing schoo l
district or the members of the governing board o f the employing
public charter school or public virtual charter school .
C. 1. Upon receiving a notification as provided for in
subsection B of this section, the board of education of the
employing school district or the governing board of the employing
public charter school or public vi rtual charter school shall suspend
the school employee without notice or hearing pending the outcome of
the law enforcement investigatio n. The suspension shall not deprive
the employee of any compensation or oth er benefits to which he or
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she is otherwise entitled. The employee shall not be allowed on
school premises during the term of suspension.
2. In a case involving a crimin al charge or indictment, the
suspension may extend until the case for the employee is adjudicated
at trial. The extension shall not include any appeal process.
D. Upon receiving a notification as provided for in subsection
B of this section, the superintendent of the employing school
district, public charter school, or public virtual charter school
shall notify the parents and legal gu ardians of students enrolled in
the school district, charter school, or v irtual charter school . The
notification shall include a statement explaining that the school
employee is presumed innocent unti l and unless proven guilty.
E. The State Board of Education shall 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 for the pre servation
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.
59-1-1685 EB 1/19/2023 12:25:09 PM