Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB1937 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3	Req. No. 10761 Page 1 1
4	4	2
5	5	3
6	6	4
7	7	5
8	8	6
9	9	7
10	10	8
11	11	9
12	12	10
13	13	11
14	14	12
15	15	13
16	16	14
17	17	15
18	18	16
19	19	17
20	20	18
21	21	19
22	22	20
23	23	21
24	24	22
25	25	23
26	26	24
27	27
28	28	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
29	29
30	30	1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
31	31
32	32	HOUSE BILL 1937 By: Sterling
33	33
34	34
35	35
36	36
37	37
38	38	AS INTRODUCED
39	39
40	40	An Act relating to schools; amending Section 1,
41	41	Chapter 297, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section
42	42	6-401), which relates to student communication;
43	43	creating an opt-out exception; providing an effective
44	44	date; and declaring an emergency .
45	45
46	46
47	47
48	48
49	49
50	50	BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
51	51	SECTION 1. AMENDATORY Section 1, Chapter 297, O.S.L.
52	52	2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 6-401), is amended to read as
53	53	follows:
54	54	Section 6-401. A. As used in this section:
55	55	1. "Electronic or digital communication " includes, but is not
56	56	limited to, emails, text messages, instant messages, direct
57	57	messages, social media me ssages, messages sent through software
58	58	applications, and any other electronic or digital means of
59	59	communication; and
60	60	2. "School personnel" means teachers, coaches, administrators,
61	61	school bus drivers, or any other persons employed full -time or part-
62	62	time by a public school or charter school.
63	63
64	64	Req. No. 10761 Page 2 1
65	65	2
66	66	3
67	67	4
68	68	5
69	69	6
70	70	7
71	71	8
72	72	9
73	73	10
74	74	11
75	75	12
76	76	13
77	77	14
78	78	15
79	79	16
80	80	17
81	81	18
82	82	19
83	83	20
84	84	21
85	85	22
86	86	23
87	87	24
88	88
89	89	B. School personnel engaging in electroni c or digital
90	90	communication with an individual student shall include the student 's
91	91	parent or legal guardian in any electronic or digital communication,
92	92	unless such:
93	93	1. Such communication is on a school -approved platform and
94	94	related to school and academic communications ; or
95	95	2. The student's parent or legal guardian opted out of being
96	96	included in the electronic or digital communication. A student 's
97	97	parent or legal guardian may opt out of electronic or digital
98	98	communications related to school or academic com munications from
99	99	identified school personnel . The parent or legal guardian shall be
100	100	required to renew their opt-out selections each academic year .
101	101	C. Exceptions to the requirem ent in subsection B of this
102	102	section may be made in case of an emergency, subject to subsequent
103	103	notification to the parent or legal guardian. School personnel
104	104	shall make reasonable efforts to use school -approved platforms,
105	105	systems, or applications that all ow automatic inclusion of parents
106	106	or legal guardians in communications with st udents.
107	107	D. Schools shall provide training, developed by the State
108	108	Department of Education, for school personnel on the student
109	109	communication requirements of this section.
110	110	E. Any school personnel who is reported to be in violation of
111	111	subsection B of this section shall be put on administrative leave
112	112	while the school district investigates the incident and notifies the
113	113
114	114	Req. No. 10761 Page 3 1
115	115	2
116	116	3
117	117	4
118	118	5
119	119	6
120	120	7
121	121	8
122	122	9
123	123	10
124	124	11
125	125	12
126	126	13
127	127	14
128	128	15
129	129	16
130	130	17
131	131	18
132	132	19
133	133	20
134	134	21
135	135	22
136	136	23
137	137	24
138	138
139	139	board of education. If the investigation finds that no miscondu ct
140	140	occurred, the school personnel shall be reinstated and the incident
141	141	shall be noted in the school personnel 's employee file. If the
142	142	investigation finds misconduct occurred, the school personnel shall
143	143	be disciplined according to the school district board of education's
144	144	policy, up to and including termination of employment, and the
145	145	incident shall be reported to law enforcement pursuant to Section
146	146	1210.163 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title.
147	147	SECTION 2. This act shall become eff ective July 1, 2025.
148	148	SECTION 3. It being immediately necessar y for the preservation
149	149	of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
150	150	declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
151	151	be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
152	152
153	153
154	154	60-1-10761 AQH 01/14/25