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53	53	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
54	54
55	55	1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
56	56
57	57	SENATE BILL 627 By: Boren
58	58
59	59
60	60
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62	62
63	63	AS INTRODUCED
64	64
65	65	An Act relating to higher education; defining term;
66	66	prohibiting certain institut ions from taking certain
67	67	actions due to a student ’s pregnancy; requiring an
68	68	institution to make reasonable accommodations for
69	69	pregnant students; provi ding for reasonable
70	70	accommodations; providing for certain leave of
71	71	absence to prepare for and take certain examinations;
72	72	providing for certain leave of absen ce extension;
73	73	requiring an enrolled student who takes certain leave
74	74	of absence to return to certain program after certain
75	75	period of time; providing e xemption; directing
76	76	certain consideration; directing certain of fice to
77	77	investigate complaints and facilitate for warding of
78	78	certain complaints; requiring instituti ons to have
79	79	certain written policies and procedures; req uiring a
80	80	copy of policies and procedures to be made available
81	81	to faculty, staff, employees , and students; providing
82	82	for codification; providing an effe ctive date; and
83	83	declaring an emergency .
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87	87
88	88
89	89	BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
90	90	SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new se ction of law to be codified
91	91	in the Oklahoma Stat utes as Section 3251 of Title 70, unless there
92	92	is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follo ws:
93	93	A. As used in this section, “institution” means:
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145	145	1. An institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher
146	146	Education; or
147	147	2. A private institution of higher learning located within this
148	148	state and accredited pursuant to Section 4103 of Title 70 of the
149	149	Oklahoma Statutes that receives awards pursuant to Se ction 2604 of
150	150	Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes , Oklahoma Tuition Equal ization
151	151	Grants pursuant to S ection 2632 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma
152	152	Statutes, or other scholarships or tuition aid funded with st ate
153	153	appropriations.
154	154	B. An institution, including the faculty, staff, or other
155	155	employees of the institution, shall not require an enrolled student
156	156	to take a leave of absence, withdraw from a program, or limit her
157	157	studies solely due to pregnancy. An institution, including the
158	158	faculty, staff, or other employees of t he institution, shall
159	159	reasonably accommodate pregna nt students so they may complete their
160	160	courses of study and research. Reasonable accommodation within the
161	161	meaning of this subsection may include but is not limited to :
162	162	1. Allowances for the pregnant stud ent’s health and safety,
163	163	such as allowing the stude nt to maintain a safe distance from
164	164	hazardous substances;
165	165	2. Allowing the student to make up tests and assignments that
166	166	are missed for pregnancy -related reasons; or
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218	218	3. Allowing a student to take a leave of absence. Reasonable
219	219	accommodations shall include the excusing of absences that are
220	220	medically necessary consistent with the laws of this state .
221	221	C. An enrolled student who chooses to take a leave of abse nce
222	222	because she is pregnant or has recently given birth shall be allowed
223	223	a period consistent with the policies of the inst itution, or a
224	224	period of six (6) additional months, whiche ver is longer, to prepare
225	225	for and take preliminary and qualifying examina tions and an
226	226	extension of at least six (6) months toward completing the degree,
227	227	or while in candidacy for a degree, un less a longer extension is
228	228	medically necessary.
229	229	D. An enrolled student who chooses to take a leave of absence
230	230	because she is pregnant or has recently given birth shall return to
231	231	her program following a leave period of up to one academ ic semester,
232	232	unless there is a medical reason for a longer absence, in which case
233	233	her standing in the program shall be maintained during that period
234	234	of absence.
235	235	E. The institution shall conside r the student’s requests for
236	236	housing accommodation due to her pregnancy.
237	237	F. The Office of Civil Rights Enforcement within the Office of
238	238	the Attorney General shall investigate complaints from students
239	239	alleging pregnancy discrimination in violation of this act. The
240	240	Office of Civil Rights Enforcement within the Office of the Attor ney
241	241	General shall facilitate the forwar ding of complaints to the U.S.
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293	293	Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to inves tigate the
294	294	institution’s compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments
295	295	of 1972 (20 U.S.C. Sec tion 1681, et seq.).
296	296	G. Each institution shall have a written poli cy for enrolled
297	297	students on pregnancy discrimination and procedures for addressing
298	298	pregnancy discrimination complaints under Title IX or this section.
299	299	A copy of this policy shall be made avail able to faculty, staff , and
300	300	employees in their required trainin g. The policy shall be incl uded
301	301	in the student handbook and the institution ’s policies and
302	302	procedures and made available to all students atten ding the
303	303	institution.
304	304	SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023.
305	305	SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the p reservation
306	306	of the public peace, health , or safety, an emergency is hereby
307	307	declared to exist, by reason whereof thi s act shall take effect and
308	308	be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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310	310	59-1-1028 EB 1/18/2023 8:26:48 AM

Oklahoma 2023 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB627 Compare Versions