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SENATE FLOOR VERSION
April 2, 2024
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR ENGROSSED
HOUSE BILL NO. 1425 By: Vancuren and Pittman of the
House
and
Rader, Stanley, and Bullard
of the Senate
An Act relating to schools; defining term; directing
each school district board of education to adopt
certain policy excusing a student to attend certain
course; providing requirements for student to attend
certain course; providing certain immunity from
liability; exempting instructors of certain course
from licensure or certification; directing students
to be considered in attendance with a school district
while attending certain course; providing for the
award of elective credit for completion of certain
course; providing for evaluation of certain course;
providing exemption for certain charter schools and
virtual charter schools; providing for codification;
providing an effective date; and declaring an
emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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SECTION 1. NEW LAW A n ew section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 11 -101.3 of Title 70, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. As used in this section, “released time course ” means a
period of time during which a stude nt is excused from school to
attend a course in religious or moral instruction taught by an
independent entity off school property.
B. Each school district board of education shall adopt a policy
that excuses a student from school to attend a released tim e course
for no more than three class periods per week or a maximum of one
hundred twenty-five class periods per school year; provided, that:
1. The student’s parent or legal guardian provides written
consent prior to the student ’s participation in the re leased time
course;
2. No school district funds other than de minimis
administrative costs are expended and no school district personnel,
equipment, or resources are involved in providing the instruction;
3. The independent entity maintains attendance re cords and
makes them available to the school district and its board of
education;
4. Any transportation provided to and from the place of
instruction is the sole responsibility of the independent entity,
the student, or the student ’s parent or legal guard ian;
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5. The independent entity or the student ’s parent or legal
guardian indemnifies the school district and holds it harmless with
regard to any liability arising from conduct that does not occur on
school property under the control or supervision of the school
district, and the independent entity maintains adequate insurance
for that purpose;
6. The student assumes responsibility for any missed school
work; and
7. The school district superintendent, the principal for the
school site in which the studen t is enrolled, or their designees
have reasonable discretion over the scheduling and timing of
released time courses; provided, the student may not be excused to
participate in a released time course during any class in which the
subject matter being taugh t is subject to the assessment
requirements of Section 1210.508 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma
Statutes.
C. The school district, its board of education, and the state
shall not be liable for the student who participates in a released
time course when the student is not under the control or supervision
of the school district .
D. Instructors hired by an independent entity to provide a
released time course shall not be required to be licensed or
certified teachers.
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E. A student who attends a released time cour se shall be
considered in attendance in the school district, and the time shall
be calculated as part of the school day.
F. A school district board of education shall award a student
credit for work completed in a released time course that is
substantiated by a transcript from the independent entity providing
the course. A student shall be awarded elective credit for the
completion of each released time course. To determine whether
elective credit may be awarded as provided for in this subsection,
the board of education shall evaluate the course in a neutral and
secular manner that does not involve any test for religious content
or denominational affiliation. For purposes of this subsection, the
secular criteria used to evaluate a released time course ma y
include:
1. The amount of classroom instruction time;
2. The course syllabus, which reflects the course requirements
and any materials used in t he course;
3. Methods of assessment used in the course; and
4. The qualifications of the course instructor .
G. The provisions of this section shall not apply to charter
schools established pursuant to Section 3 -132 of Title 70 of the
Oklahoma Statutes or charter schools or virtual charter schools
established pursuant to Section 3-134 of Title 70 of the Oklaho ma
Statutes.
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SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2024.
SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary fo r the preservation
of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reas on whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
April 2, 2024 - DO PASS AS AMENDED BY CS