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53	53	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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55	55	2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024)
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57	57	SENATE BILL 1978 By: Bullard
58	58
59	59
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63	63	AS INTRODUCED
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65	65	An Act relating to labor; defining terms; preventing
66	66	adoption and enforcement of vaccine mandates by
67	67	employers for employees or appl icants; prohibiting
68	68	adverse action by employe r for refusal to mandate;
69	69	providing for complaint to be fil ed if in violation;
70	70	allowing the Attorne y General to seek certain relief;
71	71	prescribing penalties for violation; allowing for
72	72	employer to remedy violation; providing for
73	73	codification; and providing an effective date .
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79	79	BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
80	80	SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
81	81	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 191.1 of Title 40, unless there
82	82	is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
83	83	As used in this act:
84	84	1. “Adverse action” means an action taken by an employer that a
85	85	reasonable person would consider was for the purpose of punishing,
86	86	alienating, or otherwise ad versely affecting an employee,
87	87	contractor, applicant for employment , or applicant for a contract
88	88	position;
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140	140	2. “COVID-19” means the 2019 novel coronavirus disease and any
141	141	variants of disease;
142	142	3. “Department” means the Department of Labor; and
143	143	4. “Employer” means a person who employs one or more employees.
144	144	SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
145	145	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 191.2 of Title 40, unless there
146	146	is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
147	147	A. An employer may not adopt or enforce a m andate requiring an
148	148	employee, contractor, applicant for employment, or applicant for a
149	149	contract position to be vaccinated against COVID -19 as a condition
150	150	of employment or a c ontract position.
151	151	B. An employer may not take an adverse action against an
152	152	employee, contractor, applicant for employment, or applicant for a
153	153	contract position for a refusal to be vaccinated against COVID -19.
154	154	C. 1. An employee, contractor, applicant for employment , or
155	155	applicant for a contra ct position against whom an employer took an
156	156	adverse action in violation of thi s act may file a complaint with
157	157	the labor commissioner in the form and manner prescribed by the
158	158	Department of Labor rules.
159	159	2. A complaint filed with the Department shall includ e the
160	160	following information:
161	161	a. the name of the complainant,
162	162	b. the name of the employer, and
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214	214	c. the nature and description of any alleged adverse
215	215	action the employer took against the complainant.
216	216	3. Upon receipt of a complain t as provided in paragraph 1 of
217	217	this subsection, the Department shall conduct an investigation to
218	218	determine whether the employer took an adverse action against th e
219	219	complainant because of the complainant’s refusal to be vaccinated
220	220	against COVID-19.
221	221	4. The Department shall promulgate r ules necessary to accept
222	222	complaints and conduct investigations for violations in this act.
223	223	D. 1. The Attorney General may bring an action for injunctive
224	224	relief against the employer to prevent further violations of this
225	225	act by the employer. The action sh all be filed in a district court
226	226	in:
227	227	a. Oklahoma County, or
228	228	b. the county in which the alleged adverse action
229	229	occurred.
230	230	2. In an injunction issued under paragraph 1 of this
231	231	subsection, a court may include reas onable requirements to prevent
232	232	further violations of this act.
233	233	E. The Department may impose on an employer who violates this
234	234	act an administrative penalty not more than One Thousand Doll ars
235	235	($1,000.00) for each violation, un less the employer:
236	236	1. Hires the applicant for employment or offers a contract to
237	237	the applicant for a contract positio n; or
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289	289	2. Reinstates with back pay from the date the employer took the
290	290	adverse action and ma kes every reasonable effort to reve rse the
291	291	effects of the adverse action, including reestablishing employee
292	292	benefits for which the employee or contractor otherwise would have
293	293	been eligible if the adverse action ha d not been taken.
294	294	SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2024.
295	295
296	296	59-2-2578 MR 1/18/2024 1:57:48 PM

Oklahoma 2024 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB1978 Compare Versions