An Act
ENROLLED HOUSE
BILL NO. 1425 By: Staires, West (Kevin),
Wolfley, Conley, and Hill
of the House
and
Rader, Stanley, Bullard,
and Hamilton of the Senate
An Act relating to schools; defining term; directing
each school district board of education to adopt
certain policy excusing a stu dent to attend certain
course; providing requirements for student to attend
certain course; providing certain immunity from
liability; exempting instructors of ce rtain course
from licensure or certification; directing students
to be considered in attendanc e 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; and providing for
codification.
SUBJECT: Schools
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 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 student is excused from school to
attend a course in religious or moral instruction taught by an
independent entity off school property.
ENR. H. B. NO. 1425 Page 2
B. Each school district board of education shall adopt a policy
that excuses a student from schoo l to attend a released time course
for no more than three class periods p er 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 released time
course;
2. No school district fu nds 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 enti ty maintains attendance records 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 stude nt’s parent or legal guardian;
5. The independent entity or the stu dent’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 con trol or supervision of the school
district, and the independent enti ty 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 student 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 taught 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 release d
time course when the student is not under the control or superv ision
of the school district.
ENR. H. B. NO. 1425 Page 3
D. Instructors hired by an independent entity to provide a
released time course shall not be required to be licensed or
certified teachers.
E. A student who at tends a released time course 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 c ourse that is
substantiated by a transcript from the independe nt 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 may
include:
1. The amount of classr oom instruction time;
2. The course syllabus, which reflects the course requirements
and any materials used in the course;
3. Methods of assessment used in the course; and
4. The qualification s of the course instructor.
G. The provisions of this se ction 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 Oklahoma
Statutes.
ENR. H. B. NO. 1425 Page 4
Passed the House of Representati ves the 29th day of May, 2024.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the 16th day of April, 2024.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________ ________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _____ ____
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________