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2024 Regular Session
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SB943
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Oklahoma Senate Bill SB943

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Oklahoma 2024 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB943 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
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4	4		Req. No. 1634 Page 1 1
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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 943 By: Jett
58	58
59	59
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63	63		AS INTRODUCED
64	64
65	65		An Act relating to students; creating the Oklahoma
66	66		Parent Empowerment Act for Kids ; providing short
67	67		title; providing legislative intent; defining terms;
68	68		creating the Oklahoma Parent Empowerment Act for Kids
69	69		Program; providing for administration; providing
70	70		method of application; directing publication of
71	71		application; requiring procedures to app rove
72	72		applications within certain time period; provi ding
73	73		for contents of parent agreement; providing certain
74	74		construction; requiring renewal of OK PEAK Accounts
75	75		on annual basis; allowing closure of accounts under
76	76		certain circumstances; requiring notificatio n within
77	77		certain time period of certain student re -enrolling
78	78		in certain school; providing for suspension of
79	79		deposits into account; providing for remittance of
80	80		unused funds; providing for calculation of State Aid
81	81		amount; requiring transfer of certain calcul ated
82	82		amount on a monthly basis; prohibiting certain
83	83		provider from sharing, refunding, or rebating an
84	84		amount with a parent or certain student; prohibiting
85	85		personal deposits into certain account; prohibiting
86	86		certain funds from being considered income; provid ing
87	87		for accrual of account funds; requiring certain
88	88		agency to maintain list of certain providers;
89	89		requiring certain agency to provide certain
90	90		information to certain parents; requiring notice to
91	91		be provided to parents of certain children; allowing
92	92		certain agency to contract with certain firm or
93	93		organization; allowing withholding of certain
94	94		percentage of funds to administer program; requiring
95	95		the establishment of certain payment system;
96	96		requiring implementation of certain system to share
97	97		information about edu cation service providers;
98	98		providing for partial pay ment to an education service
99	99		provider; authorizing certain auditing; providing for
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151	151		the removal of certain parent or student from
152	152		eligibility under certain circumstances; providing
153	153		for appeal; allowing refe rral for certain
154	154		investigation; allowing for paymen ts to cease to
155	155		certain providers under certain circumstances;
156	156		providing for appeal; allowing acceptance of gifts
157	157		and grants for certain purposes; providing for
158	158		promulgation of rules; providing process for
159	159		approving education service providers; directing
160	160		provision of certain student records in accordance
161	161		with certain act; providing certain construction;
162	162		directing certain decrease in state funding upon
163	163		certain finding of noncompliance; creating cause of
164	164		action for certain noncompliance; creating the OK
165	165		PEAK Account Revolving Fund; specifying sources of
166	166		fund; providing for expenditures; providing purpose
167	167		of fund; providing for establishment of burden in
168	168		certain legal proceeding; providing immunity from
169	169		liability for certain actions; allowing certain
170	170		parents to intervene in certain legal proceeding;
171	171		providing for severability; providing for
172	172		codification; providing an effective date; and
173	173		declaring an emergency .
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179	179		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
180	180		SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
181	181		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 28 -100 of Title 70, unless there
182	182		is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
183	183		A. This act shall be known and may b e cited as the “Oklahoma
184	184		Parent Empowerment Act for Kids”.
185	185		B. It is the intent of the Legislature that parents, legal
186	186		guardians, and others with legal authority over children in this
187	187		state be able to access educational services that meet the needs of
188	188		their individual children by directing State Aid for wh ich each
189	189
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240	240		child is eligible to the education provider of their choice. The
241	241		Legislature affirms that parents and legal guardians are best suited
242	242		to make decisions to help children in this state reach their full
243	243		potential and achieve a brighter future.
244	244		SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
245	245		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 28 -101 of Title 70, unless there
246	246		is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
247	247		A. As used in the Oklahoma Parent Empowerment Act for K ids:
248	248		1. “Agency” means the Office of the State Treasurer;
249	249		2. “Curriculum” means a complete course of study for a
250	250		particular content area or grade level;
251	251		3. “Oklahoma Parent Empowerment Act for Kids Acco unt” or “OK
252	252		PEAK Account” means the account in whic h funds are deposited by the
253	253		Agency to pay for qualifying education expenses for an OK PEAK
254	254		student;
255	255		4. “Education service provider ” means a person, business,
256	256		public school district, public charter school , magnet school,
257	257		institution within The Oklahoma St ate System of Higher Education, or
258	258		organization that receives payments from a parent directing an OK
259	259		PEAK Account to provide educational goods and/or services to OK PEAK
260	260		students;
261	261		5. “Eligible student” means:
262	262		a. a resident of this state who lives in a county with a
263	263		population of more than ten thousand (10,000) or whose
264	264
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315	315		parent works in a county with a population of more
316	316		than ten thousand (10,000) according to the latest
317	317		Federal Decennial Census, and who is eligible to
318	318		enroll in a public school in this state, or
319	319		b. a resident of this state who lives in a county with a
320	320		population of less than ten thousand (10,000)
321	321		according to the latest Federal Decennial Census and
322	322		who is eligible to enroll in a public school in this
323	323		state that has been determined by a report ing agency
324	324		to be a trigger district ;
325	325		6. “OK PEAK student” means an eligible student approved for
326	326		participation in the OK PEAK Account Program;
327	327		7. “Parent” means a biological or adoptive parent, legal
328	328		guardian, custodian, or other person with legal author ity to act on
329	329		behalf of an eligible student;
330	330		8. “Qualified expense” means the following services provided by
331	331		an education service provider:
332	332		a. tuition and/or fees at a private school accredited or
333	333		in the process of obtaining accreditation by the State
334	334		Board of Education or another accrediting associatio n
335	335		approved by the State Board of Education,
336	336		b. tuition and/or fees for non -public online learning
337	337		programs,
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389	389		c. tutoring services provided by an individual o r a
390	390		tutoring facility,
391	391		d. services contracted for a nd provided by a public
392	392		school district, public c harter school, or magnet
393	393		school including but not limited to classes and
394	394		extracurricular activities and programs,
395	395		e. textbooks, curriculum, or other instruc tional
396	396		materials including but not limited to suppl emental
397	397		materials or associated online instructio n required by
398	398		an education service provider,
399	399		f. computer hardware or other technological devices,
400	400		educational software, and applications that are used
401	401		to meet an OK PEAK student’s curriculum needs,
402	402		g. tuition and/or fees for a curriculum or program, along
403	403		with related instruments, supplies, accessories, and
404	404		materials, that provides instruction in drama, music,
405	405		speech and debate, agriculture, or other similar
406	406		activities,
407	407		h. school uniforms,
408	408		i. fees for nationally standardized assessments including
409	409		but not limited to assessments used to determine
410	410		college admission and advanced placement examinations
411	411		as well as tuition and/or fees for tutoring or
412	412		preparatory courses for the assessments,
413	413
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464	464		j. tuition and/or fees for summer education programs and
465	465		specialized after-school education programs; provided,
466	466		however, that such expense does not include before -
467	467		school or after-school childcare,
468	468		k. tuition, fees, instructional ma terials, and assessment
469	469		fees for a curriculum or pr ogram offered by a
470	470		technology center school,
471	471		l. educational services and therapies including but not
472	472		limited to occupational, behavioral, physical, speech -
473	473		language, and audiology therapies,
474	474		m. tuition and fees for concurrent enrollment at an
475	475		institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher
476	476		Education,
477	477		n. fees for transportation paid to a fee -for-service
478	478		provider for the student to travel to and from an
479	479		education service provider, or
480	480		o. any other qualified expense approved by the Agency ;
481	481		9. “Reporting agency” means:
482	482		a. the parent’s state representati ve or state senator,
483	483		b. the board of education for the resident district of
484	484		the parent, as determined by Section 1 -113 of Title 70
485	485		of the Oklahoma Statutes,
486	486		c. the State Board of Education, or
487	487
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538	538		d. the county sheriff for the county in which the parent
539	539		resides; and
540	540		10. “Trigger district” means a school district in this state
541	541		where any of the following concepts or activities have been
542	542		advocated or tolerated:
543	543		a. violations of Section 24 -157 of Title 70 of the
544	544		Oklahoma Statutes,
545	545		b. violations of Section 1-125 of Title 70 of the
546	546		Oklahoma Statutes,
547	547		c. violations of Section 27 -106 of Title 70 of the
548	548		Oklahoma Statutes,
549	549		d. instruction in gender identity and sexual orien tation
550	550		including instruction designed to promote ge nder
551	551		confusion,
552	552		e. possession of books wh ich contain obscene material as
553	553		defined by Section 1024.1 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma
554	554		Statutes,
555	555		f. curriculum which is sexual in nature, except as
556	556		provided for in Section 11-105.1 of Title 70 of the
557	557		Oklahoma Statutes,
558	558		g. the presence of any school employee or volunteer
559	559		engaged in anthropomorphic behavior commonly referred
560	560		to as furries,
561	561
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612	612		h. climate change ideology including, but not limited to,
613	613		disparaging the oil and natural gas industry or the
614	614		agriculture industry,
615	615		i. curriculum promoting social and emotio nal learning,
616	616		j. curriculum promoting animal rights activism,
617	617		k. instruction that disparages the Second Amendment to
618	618		the United States Constitution,
619	619		l. ideology that encourages efforts to defund the police,
620	620		or
621	621		m. curriculum promoting a Marxist ideology inc luding, but
622	622		not limited to, violations of Section 1266.4 of Title
623	623		21 of the Oklahoma Statutes .
624	624		B. There is hereby created the Oklahoma Parent Empowerment Act
625	625		for Kids or OK PEAK Program to be administered by the Ag ency to
626	626		provide an OK PEAK Account for qualified expenses to support the
627	627		education of OK PEAK students in this state.
628	628		C. 1. To apply for an OK PEAK Account, a parent of an eligible
629	629		student shall submit a n application to the Agency on a form
630	630		prescribed by the Agency and published on its website. The
631	631		application may be submitted online or by mail.
632	632		2. The Agency shall establish procedures to approve
633	633		applications within ten (10) business days after receipt. There
634	634		shall be no deadline for submission of appl ications. Applications
635	635
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686	686		shall be approved if the parent signs an agreement to do all of the
687	687		following:
688	688		a. use the OK PEAK Account only for qualified expenses to
689	689		provide an education for an eligible student in at
690	690		least the subjects of reading, English langu age arts,
691	691		mathematics, science, and socia l studies,
692	692		b. not enroll the eligible student as a full -time student
693	693		in a public school district, public charter school, or
694	694		magnet school after acceptance of an OK PEAK Account,
695	695		c. comply with rules and requirements of the OK PEAK
696	696		Account Program established by the Agency, and
697	697		d. not accept a scholarship from the Lindsey Nicole Henry
698	698		Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program
699	699		created by Section 13 -101.2 of Title 70 of the
700	700		Oklahoma Statutes while participatin g in the OK PEAK
701	701		Account Program.
702	702		3. No student shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national
703	703		origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits
704	704		of, or be subjected to discrimination un der the OK PEAK Account
705	705		Program.
706	706		D. Nothing in this act shall be construed to require that an OK
707	707		PEAK student be enrolled full time or part time in a private school
708	708		or a nonpublic online school.
709	709
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740	740		6
741	741		7
742	742		8
743	743		9
744	744		10
745	745		11
746	746		12
747	747		13
748	748		14
749	749		15
750	750		16
751	751		17
752	752		18
753	753		19
754	754		20
755	755		21
756	756		22
757	757		23
758	758		24
759	759
760	760		E. The Agency shall renew OK PEAK Accounts on an annual basis.
761	761		An account may be closed if:
762	762		1. The parent of an OK PEAK student re-enrolls the student as a
763	763		full-time student in a public school, as provided for by subsection
764	764		F of this section;
765	765		2. The Agency closes the account due to intentional misuse as
766	766		provided for in Section 3 of this act; or
767	767		3. The OK PEAK student graduates from high school or reaches
768	768		the age of twenty-one (21), whichever comes first.
769	769		F. The parent of an OK PEAK student shall notify the Agency
770	770		within five (5) days of the student re -enrolling in a public school
771	771		district, public charter schoo l, or magnet school. Upon receipt of
772	772		the notification required by this subsection, the Agency shall
773	773		suspend deposits into the student ’s OK PEAK Account. Any unused
774	774		funds remaining in the OK PEAK Account at the end of the appl icable
775	775		calendar year shall be remitted to the General Revenue Fund.
776	776		G. 1. For each eligible student approved to participate in the
777	777		OK PEAK Account Program, the Agency shall notify the State
778	778		Department of Education and request calcul ation of the amount of
779	779		State Aid for which the stud ent is eligible. Within ten (10)
780	780		business days of receiving the request, the State Department of
781	781		Education shall notify the Agency of the calculated amount, which
782	782		shall be equivalent to the total State Ai d factors including pu pil
783	783		category weights for the applicable school year multiplied by the
784	784
785	785
786	786		Req. No. 1634 Page 11 1
787	787		2
788	788		3
789	789		4
790	790		5
791	791		6
792	792		7
793	793		8
794	794		9
795	795		10
796	796		11
797	797		12
798	798		13
799	799		14
800	800		15
801	801		16
802	802		17
803	803		18
804	804		19
805	805		20
806	806		21
807	807		22
808	808		23
809	809		24
810	810		1
811	811		2
812	812		3
813	813		4
814	814		5
815	815		6
816	816		7
817	817		8
818	818		9
819	819		10
820	820		11
821	821		12
822	822		13
823	823		14
824	824		15
825	825		16
826	826		17
827	827		18
828	828		19
829	829		20
830	830		21
831	831		22
832	832		23
833	833		24
834	834
835	835		grade weight generated by the student for the applicable school
836	836		year.
837	837		2. The State Department of Education on a monthly basis shall
838	838		transfer to the Agency for depo sit into the OK PEAK Account
839	839		Revolving Fund created pursuant to Section 5 of this act an amount
840	840		equal to one-twelfth (1/12) of the total amount necessary to fund
841	841		all OK PEAK Accounts requested for the applicable school year.
842	842		Within ten (10) business days of a deposit required by this
843	843		paragraph, the Office of the State Treasurer shall make funds
844	844		available in OK PEAK Accounts.
845	845		3. Prior to the monthly deposit required by this subsection,
846	846		the Agency shall notify the State Department of Education if changes
847	847		to the number of partici pating OK PEAK students will result in a
848	848		modification of the monthly deposit amount.
849	849		H. An education service provider shall not share, refund, or
850	850		rebate any amount of an OK PEAK Account with the parent or OK PEAK
851	851		student. A refund or rebate for goods or services purchased with an
852	852		OK PEAK Account shall be credited to the OK PEAK Account.
853	853		I. Parents shall be prohibited from making personal deposits
854	854		into an OK PEAK Account. However, no parent shall be restricted
855	855		from making payments f or educational goods a nd services not covered
856	856		by funds in a student’s OK PEAK Account.
857	857
858	858
859	859		Req. No. 1634 Page 12 1
860	860		2
861	861		3
862	862		4
863	863		5
864	864		6
865	865		7
866	866		8
867	867		9
868	868		10
869	869		11
870	870		12
871	871		13
872	872		14
873	873		15
874	874		16
875	875		17
876	876		18
877	877		19
878	878		20
879	879		21
880	880		22
881	881		23
882	882		24
883	883		1
884	884		2
885	885		3
886	886		4
887	887		5
888	888		6
889	889		7
890	890		8
891	891		9
892	892		10
893	893		11
894	894		12
895	895		13
896	896		14
897	897		15
898	898		16
899	899		17
900	900		18
901	901		19
902	902		20
903	903		21
904	904		22
905	905		23
906	906		24
907	907
908	908		J. Monies received pursuant to the OK PEAK Account Program
909	909		shall not constitute taxable income to the parent or OK PEAK
910	910		student.
911	911		K. Funds deposited into an OK PEAK Account but unused shall
912	912		accrue from month to month an d from year to year unless the account
913	913		is closed pursuant to the provisions of subsection E of this
914	914		section.
915	915		SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
916	916		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 28 -102 of Title 70, unless there
917	917		is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
918	918		A. To implement the provisions of the Oklahoma Parent
919	919		Empowerment Act for Kids , the Agency shall maintain and make
920	920		publicly available on its websi te an updated list of education
921	921		service providers.
922	922		B. The Agency shall provide parents of OK PEAK students a
923	923		written explanation of qualified expenses for which an OK PEAK
924	924		Account may be used, the responsibilities of parents, the duties of
925	925		the Agency, and the role of any priva te financial management firm or
926	926		other private organization with which the Agency may contract to
927	927		administer the Oklahoma Parent Empowerment Act for Kids .
928	928		C. The Agency shall provide parents of OK PEAK students with
929	929		disabilities notice that participation i n the OK PEAK Account
930	930		Program shall have the same effect as a parental revocation of
931	931		consent pursuant to 20 U.S.C., Sections 1414(a)(1)(D) and 1414(C) of
932	932
933	933
934	934		Req. No. 1634 Page 13 1
935	935		2
936	936		3
937	937		4
938	938		5
939	939		6
940	940		7
941	941		8
942	942		9
943	943		10
944	944		11
945	945		12
946	946		13
947	947		14
948	948		15
949	949		16
950	950		17
951	951		18
952	952		19
953	953		20
954	954		21
955	955		22
956	956		23
957	957		24
958	958		1
959	959		2
960	960		3
961	961		4
962	962		5
963	963		6
964	964		7
965	965		8
966	966		9
967	967		10
968	968		11
969	969		12
970	970		13
971	971		14
972	972		15
973	973		16
974	974		17
975	975		18
976	976		19
977	977		20
978	978		21
979	979		22
980	980		23
981	981		24
982	982
983	983		the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and an
984	984		explanation of the rights parents of OK PEAK students with
985	985		disabilities have under IDEA and any applicable state laws and
986	986		regulations.
987	987		D. The Agency may contract with a private financial management
988	988		firm or other private organization to administer in full or in part
989	989		the OK PEAK Account Program.
990	990		E. The Agency may withhold f unding from deposits made pursuant
991	991		to subsection G of Section 2 of this act to administer the OK PEAK
992	992		Account Program in an amount not to exceed five percent (5%)
993	993		annually for the first two years after the effective date of thi s
994	994		act and three percent (3%) annually thereafter.
995	995		F. The Agency shall establish a commercially viable, cost -
996	996		effective, and parent -friendly system of payment for services from
997	997		OK PEAK Accounts to education service providers by electro nic or
998	998		online funds transfer.
999	999		1. The system of pay ment established purs uant to this
1000	1000		subsection shall provide maximum flexibility for parents by
1001	1001		facilitating direct payments to education service providers whenever
1002	1002		possible, provide a parent -friendly system for requests for pre -
1003	1003		approval of qualified expense s, and timely reimbur sement for
1004	1004		qualified expenses.
1005	1005		2. The Agency may contract with private entities to develop the
1006	1006		payment system.
1007	1007
1008	1008
1009	1009		Req. No. 1634 Page 14 1
1010	1010		2
1011	1011		3
1012	1012		4
1013	1013		5
1014	1014		6
1015	1015		7
1016	1016		8
1017	1017		9
1018	1018		10
1019	1019		11
1020	1020		12
1021	1021		13
1022	1022		14
1023	1023		15
1024	1024		16
1025	1025		17
1026	1026		18
1027	1027		19
1028	1028		20
1029	1029		21
1030	1030		22
1031	1031		23
1032	1032		24
1033	1033		1
1034	1034		2
1035	1035		3
1036	1036		4
1037	1037		5
1038	1038		6
1039	1039		7
1040	1040		8
1041	1041		9
1042	1042		10
1043	1043		11
1044	1044		12
1045	1045		13
1046	1046		14
1047	1047		15
1048	1048		16
1049	1049		17
1050	1050		18
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1055	1055		23
1056	1056		24
1057	1057
1058	1058		G. The Agency shall implement a commercially viable, cost -
1059	1059		effective, and parent-friendly system for parents to publicly ra te,
1060	1060		review, and share information about education service providers.
1061	1061		H. If an education service provider requires partial payment of
1062	1062		tuition or fees to reserve a place for an OK PEAK student prior to
1063	1063		the start of the school year, the partial payment may b e paid by the
1064	1064		Agency prior to the start of the school year in which the OK PEAK
1065	1065		Account is opened and deducted in equal amounts from monthly
1066	1066		deposits into OK PEAK Accounts. If the parent of an OK PEAK student
1067	1067		chooses not to use the education service provi der, the partial
1068	1068		reservation payment shall be remitted to the Agency within fifteen
1069	1069		(15) business days of notification of the decision and credited to
1070	1070		the OK PEAK student’s OK PEAK Account.
1071	1071		I. The Agency shall have the authority to conduct an audit or
1072	1072		contract for the auditin g of OK PEAK Accounts and shall conduct
1073	1073		random audits of ten percent (10%) of OK PEAK Accounts on an annual
1074	1074		basis.
1075	1075		J. The Agency shall have the authority to remove any parent or
1076	1076		OK PEAK student from eligibility for an OK PEAK Account in the event
1077	1077		of intentional and substantial misuse of OK PEAK Account funds.
1078	1078		1. The Agency shall create procedures to ensure a fair process
1079	1079		to determine whether an intentional and substantial misuse of OK
1080	1080		PEAK Account funds has occurred. If misuse by a p arent is
1081	1081		established but the OK PEAK student is determined to be free from
1082	1082
1083	1083
1084	1084		Req. No. 1634 Page 15 1
1085	1085		2
1086	1086		3
1087	1087		4
1088	1088		5
1089	1089		6
1090	1090		7
1091	1091		8
1092	1092		9
1093	1093		10
1094	1094		11
1095	1095		12
1096	1096		13
1097	1097		14
1098	1098		15
1099	1099		16
1100	1100		17
1101	1101		18
1102	1102		19
1103	1103		20
1104	1104		21
1105	1105		22
1106	1106		23
1107	1107		24
1108	1108		1
1109	1109		2
1110	1110		3
1111	1111		4
1112	1112		5
1113	1113		6
1114	1114		7
1115	1115		8
1116	1116		9
1117	1117		10
1118	1118		11
1119	1119		12
1120	1120		13
1121	1121		14
1122	1122		15
1123	1123		16
1124	1124		17
1125	1125		18
1126	1126		19
1127	1127		20
1128	1128		21
1129	1129		22
1130	1130		23
1131	1131		24
1132	1132
1133	1133		personal misconduct, he or she shall be eligible for an OK PEAK
1134	1134		Account in the future if placed with a different parent, guardian,
1135	1135		or other person with legal authority to act on beh alf of the
1136	1136		student.
1137	1137		2. The Agency shall have the authority to refer suspected cases
1138	1138		of intentional and substantial misuse of OK PEAK Account funds to
1139	1139		the Attorney General for investigation if evidence of fraudulent use
1140	1140		of funds is obtained.
1141	1141		3. A parent or OK PEAK student may, pursuant to the
1142	1142		Administrative Procedures Act, appeal the Agency ’s decision to
1143	1143		remove the parent or student from eligibility for an OK PEAK
1144	1144		Account.
1145	1145		K. The Agency may cease payments to an education service
1146	1146		provider from OK PEAK Accounts if the Agency determines the
1147	1147		education service provider has:
1148	1148		1. Intentionally and substantially misrepresented information
1149	1149		or failed to refund any overpayments in a t imely manner; or
1150	1150		2. Routinely failed to provide OK PEAK students with promised
1151	1151		educational goods or services.
1152	1152		L. The Agency shall create procedures to ensure a fair process
1153	1153		to determine whether an education service provider should be
1154	1154		prohibited from rece iving payments from OK PEAK Accounts.
1155	1155		1. If the Agency prohibits an education servi ce provider from
1156	1156		receiving payments pursuant to this subsection, the Agency shall
1157	1157
1158	1158
1159	1159		Req. No. 1634 Page 16 1
1160	1160		2
1161	1161		3
1162	1162		4
1163	1163		5
1164	1164		6
1165	1165		7
1166	1166		8
1167	1167		9
1168	1168		10
1169	1169		11
1170	1170		12
1171	1171		13
1172	1172		14
1173	1173		15
1174	1174		16
1175	1175		17
1176	1176		18
1177	1177		19
1178	1178		20
1179	1179		21
1180	1180		22
1181	1181		23
1182	1182		24
1183	1183		1
1184	1184		2
1185	1185		3
1186	1186		4
1187	1187		5
1188	1188		6
1189	1189		7
1190	1190		8
1191	1191		9
1192	1192		10
1193	1193		11
1194	1194		12
1195	1195		13
1196	1196		14
1197	1197		15
1198	1198		16
1199	1199		17
1200	1200		18
1201	1201		19
1202	1202		20
1203	1203		21
1204	1204		22
1205	1205		23
1206	1206		24
1207	1207
1208	1208		notify parents and OK PEAK students of its decision within ten (10)
1209	1209		days.
1210	1210		2. Education service providers may, pursuant to the
1211	1211		Administrative Procedures Act, appeal the Agenc y’s decision to
1212	1212		prohibit them from receiving OK PEAK Account payments.
1213	1213		M. The Agency may accept gifts and grants from any source to
1214	1214		support administration of the OK PEAK Account Program, to inform the
1215	1215		public about the OK PEAK Account Program, and to fund additional OK
1216	1216		PEAK Accounts.
1217	1217		N. The Agency may promulgate rules to implement the provisions
1218	1218		of this act, which shall include but not be limited to:
1219	1219		1. Establishing or con tracting for the establishment of an
1220	1220		online anonymous fraud reporting service;
1221	1221		2. Establishing an anonymous telephone hotline for fraud
1222	1222		reporting;
1223	1223		3. Requiring a surety bond for education service providers
1224	1224		receiving more than One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) in OK
1225	1225		PEAK Account funds; and
1226	1226		4. Refunding payments from education s ervice providers back to
1227	1227		OK PEAK Accounts.
1228	1228		SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
1229	1229		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 28 -103 of Title 70, unless there
1230	1230		is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
1231	1231
1232	1232
1233	1233		Req. No. 1634 Page 17 1
1234	1234		2
1235	1235		3
1236	1236		4
1237	1237		5
1238	1238		6
1239	1239		7
1240	1240		8
1241	1241		9
1242	1242		10
1243	1243		11
1244	1244		12
1245	1245		13
1246	1246		14
1247	1247		15
1248	1248		16
1249	1249		17
1250	1250		18
1251	1251		19
1252	1252		20
1253	1253		21
1254	1254		22
1255	1255		23
1256	1256		24
1257	1257		1
1258	1258		2
1259	1259		3
1260	1260		4
1261	1261		5
1262	1262		6
1263	1263		7
1264	1264		8
1265	1265		9
1266	1266		10
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1277	1277		21
1278	1278		22
1279	1279		23
1280	1280		24
1281	1281
1282	1282		A. The Agency may approve education service providers on its
1283	1283		own initiative, at the request of parents, or at the request of a
1284	1284		prospective education service provider.
1285	1285		B. A prospective education service provider seeking to
1286	1286		participate in the OK PEAK Account Program shall:
1287	1287		1. Submit notice to the Agency that it wishes to participate
1288	1288		and receive OK PEAK Account funds designated by parents for payment
1289	1289		of educational goods and services; and
1290	1290		2. Agree not to refund, r ebate, or share OK PEAK Account funds
1291	1291		with parents or OK PEAK students in any manner, except that funds
1292	1292		may be remitted or refunded to an OK PEAK Account.
1293	1293		C. A public school district, public charter school, or magnet
1294	1294		school in which an OK PEAK student was enrolled shall provide a
1295	1295		private school that is an education service provider and that has an
1296	1296		OK PEAK student enrolled with a complete copy of the OK PEAK
1297	1297		student’s records within five (5) business days of receiving the
1298	1298		request for records. The provision of records pursuant to this
1299	1299		subsection shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Family
1300	1300		Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).
1301	1301		D. Nothing in this act shall limit the independence or autonomy
1302	1302		of an education service provider or make t he actions of an education
1303	1303		service provider the act ions of state government. Education service
1304	1304		providers shall be given maximum freedom to provide fo r the
1305	1305		educational needs of OK PEAK students without governmental control.
1306	1306
1307	1307
1308	1308		Req. No. 1634 Page 18 1
1309	1309		2
1310	1310		3
1311	1311		4
1312	1312		5
1313	1313		6
1314	1314		7
1315	1315		8
1316	1316		9
1317	1317		10
1318	1318		11
1319	1319		12
1320	1320		13
1321	1321		14
1322	1322		15
1323	1323		16
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1326	1326		19
1327	1327		20
1328	1328		21
1329	1329		22
1330	1330		23
1331	1331		24
1332	1332		1
1333	1333		2
1334	1334		3
1335	1335		4
1336	1336		5
1337	1337		6
1338	1338		7
1339	1339		8
1340	1340		9
1341	1341		10
1342	1342		11
1343	1343		12
1344	1344		13
1345	1345		14
1346	1346		15
1347	1347		16
1348	1348		17
1349	1349		18
1350	1350		19
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1352	1352		21
1353	1353		22
1354	1354		23
1355	1355		24
1356	1356
1357	1357		1. An education service provide r that accepts payment from an
1358	1358		OK PEAK Account as directed by parents pursuant to this act shall
1359	1359		not be considered an agent of the state or federal go vernment.
1360	1360		2. An education service provider shall not be required to alter
1361	1361		its creed, practices, admission s policy, or curriculum to accept
1362	1362		payments as directed by parents from an OK PEAK Account.
1363	1363		E. Nothing in this act shall be construed to expand the
1364	1364		regulatory authority of the state, its officers, or any public
1365	1365		school to impose any additional regulation of education service
1366	1366		providers beyond those necessary to enforce the requirements of the
1367	1367		OK PEAK Account Program.
1368	1368		F. Upon a finding of noncompliance wi th the provisions of
1369	1369		subsections D and E of this section by the Attorney General, the
1370	1370		Agency shall receive a five percent (5%) reduction in state funding
1371	1371		for the fiscal year following the year of noncompliance.
1372	1372		G. A parent of an OK PEAK student shall have a cause of action
1373	1373		against the Agency for noncompliance with the provisions of
1374	1374		subsections D and E of this section.
1375	1375		SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
1376	1376		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 28 -104 of Title 70, unles s there
1377	1377		is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
1378	1378		There is hereby created in the State Trea sury a revolving fund
1379	1379		for the Office of the State T reasurer to be designated the “OK PEAK
1380	1380		Account Revolving Fund”. The fund shall be a continuing fun d, not
1381	1381
1382	1382
1383	1383		Req. No. 1634 Page 19 1
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1431	1431
1432	1432		subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall consist of all monies
1433	1433		received by the Office of the S tate Treasurer from appropriations,
1434	1434		gifts, grants, donations, and bequests. All monies accruing to the
1435	1435		credit of the fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and
1436	1436		expended by the Office of the State Treasurer for the purpose of
1437	1437		implementing the pro visions of the Oklahoma Parent Empowerment Act
1438	1438		for Kids. Expenditures from the fund shall be made upon warrants
1439	1439		issued by the State Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by
1440	1440		law with the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise
1441	1441		Services for approval and payment.
1442	1442		SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
1443	1443		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 28 -105 of Title 70, unless there
1444	1444		is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
1445	1445		A. In any legal proceedin g challenging the application of the
1446	1446		Oklahoma Parent Empowerment Act for Kids to an education service
1447	1447		provider, the state bears the burden of establis hing both that its
1448	1448		action is necessary and that it does not impose any undue burden on
1449	1449		the education service provider.
1450	1450		B. No liability shall arise on the pa rt of the Agency, the
1451	1451		state, a public school district, a public charter school, or a
1452	1452		magnet school based on the award of or use of an OK PEAK Account
1453	1453		pursuant to this act.
1454	1454		C. If any part of the Oklahoma Parent Empowerment Act for Kids
1455	1455		is challenged in a s tate court as violating either the state or
1456	1456
1457	1457
1458	1458		Req. No. 1634 Page 20 1
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1506	1506
1507	1507		federal constitutions, parents of eligible students and OK PEAK
1508	1508		students shall be permitted to intervene for the purposes of
1509	1509		defending the OK PEAK Account Program’s constitutionality. However,
1510	1510		for the purposes of judicial administration, a court may require
1511	1511		that all parents of eligible students and OK PEAK students file a
1512	1512		joint brief so long as they are not required to join any brief filed
1513	1513		on behalf of any named state defendant.
1514	1514		D. The provisions of the Oklahoma Parent Empowerment Act for
1515	1515		Kids shall be severable, and if any provision of the Oklahoma Parent
1516	1516		Empowerment Act for Kids or the application thereof to any person or
1517	1517		circumstances is held invalid, such inv alidity shall not affect the
1518	1518		other provisions or ap plications of this Act, which can be given
1519	1519		effect without the invalid provision or application.
1520	1520		SECTION 7. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023.
1521	1521		SECTION 8. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
1522	1522		of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
1523	1523		declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
1524	1524		be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
1525	1525
1526	1526		59-1-1634 EB 1/19/2023 11:11:50 AM