Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB942 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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3		-	SB942 HFLR Page 1
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	3	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 942 Page 1 1
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29		-	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
30		-
31		-	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
32		-
33		-	1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
34		-
35	28		ENGROSSED SENATE
36	29		BILL NO. 942 By: Thompson and Daniels of the
37	30		Senate
38	31
39	32		and
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41		-	Gise, Pae, Schreiber, West
42		-	(Kevin), Hill, and West
43		-	(Tammy) of the House
	34	+	Gise of the House
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47	38		An Act relating to education; defining terms;
48	39		prohibiting discrimination on certain basis against
49	40		students or employees in an institution of higher
50	41		education or public school; prohibiting persons from
51	42		being excluded, denied benefits, or discriminated
52	43		against on certain basis; prohibiting criteria for
53	44		admission to an institution of higher education
54	45		course or program from restricting access to certain
55	46		persons; providing certain exceptions; directing
56	47		certain services to be available to all students;
57	48		directing all education programs, activities, and
58	49		opportunities offered by institutions of higher
59	50		education and public schools to be made available
60	51		without certain discrimination; providing certain
61	52		construction; directing institutions of higher
62	53		education and public schools to integrate certain
63	54		definition into certain codes of conduct; prohibiting
64	55		certain conduct; directing institutions of higher
65	56		education and public s chools to treat certain
66	57		harassment and discrimination in certain manner;
67	58		encouraging institutions of higher education and
68	59		public schools to incorporate certain training and
69	60		integrate certain curriculum; directing the State
70	61		Department of Education and the O klahoma State
71	62		Regents for Higher Education to designate certain
72	63		coordinator; prescribing duties of coordinator;
73	64		providing for written notice to address certain
74	65		complaint within certain time period; providing for
75	66		certain findings to be reported to certain
	67	+	departments; directing submission of annual report;
	68	+	providing for contents of report; providing certai n
	69	+	construction; providing for codification; providing
	70	+	an effective date; and declaring an emergency .
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77		-	SB942 HFLR Page 2
78		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
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	75	+
	76	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 942 Page 2 1
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103		-	departments; directing submission of annual report;
104		-	providing for contents of report; providing ce rtain
105		-	construction; providing for codification; providing
106		-	an effective date; and declaring an emergency .
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111	101		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHO MA:
112	102		SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
113	103		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 24 -162 of Title 70, unless there
114	104		is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
115	105		A. As used in this section:
116	106		1. “Antisemitism” has the same meaning as provided for by the
117	107		International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of
118	108		Antisemitism, including its contemporary examples, as it was adopted
119	109		on May 26, 2016;
120	110		2. “Institution of higher education ” means an institution of
121	111		higher education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher
122	112		Education; and
123	113		3. “Public school” shall have the same meaning as provided for
124	114		in Section 1-106 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
125	115		B. Discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, nation al
126	116		origin, sex, disability, religion, or marital status against a
127	117		student or an employee in an institution of higher education or a
128	118		public school in this state shall be prohibited. No person in this
129	119		state shall, on the basis of race, ethnicity, national o rigin, sex,
130	120		disability, religion, or marital status, be excluded from
	121	+	participating in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to
	122	+	discrimination under any institution of higher education or public
	123	+	school program or activity or in any employment conditi ons or
	124	+	practices conducted by an institution of higher education or a
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132		-	SB942 HFLR Page 3
133		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	126	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 942 Page 3 1
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158		-	participating in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to
159		-	discrimination under any institution of higher education or public
160		-	school program or activity or in any employment conditions or
161		-	practices conducted by an institution of higher education or a
162	151		public school that receives or benefits from federal or state
163	152		financial assistance.
164	153		C. The criteria for admission to a program or course at an
165	154		institution of higher education shall not have the effect of
166	155		restricting access by persons of a particular race, ethnicity,
167	156		national origin, sex, disability, religion, or marital status;
168	157		provided, this shall not infringe upon the rights of student faith -
169	158		based organizations and ethnic solidarity or ganizations to select
170	159		leadership committed to their group ’s mission and principles.
171	160		D. All institution of higher education and public school
172	161		classes shall be available to all students without regard t o race,
173	162		ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, re ligion, or marital
174	163		status. Provided, however, the provisions of this subsection shall
175	164		not prohibit the provision of programs designed to meet the needs of
176	165		students with limited proficiency in English, gifted students, or
177	166		students with disabilities or prog rams tailored to students with
178	167		specialized talents or skills.
179	168		E. Guidance, counseling, and financial assistance services in
180	169		institutions of higher education and public schools shall be
181	170		available to all students equally and provided in the same manner
	171	+	regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability,
	172	+	religion, or marital status.
	173	+	F. All education programs, activities, and opportunities
	174	+	offered by institutions of higher education and public schools shall
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183		-	SB942 HFLR Page 4
184		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	176	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 942 Page 4 1
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209		-	regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability,
210		-	religion, or marital status.
211		-	F. All education programs, activities, and opportunities
212		-	offered by institutions of higher education and public schools shall
213	201		be made available without discriminatio n on the basis of race,
214	202		ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, religion, or marital
215	203		status.
216	204		G. Nothing in this act shall be construed to limit or restrict
217	205		the implementation, funding, or adminis tration of any Indian
218	206		education programs or services es tablished under federal or state
219	207		law.
220	208		SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
221	209		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 24 -163 of Title 70, unless there
222	210		is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
223	211		A. Institutions of higher education and public schools shall
224	212		integrate the definition of antisemitism provided for in Section 1
225	213		of this act into their student, faculty, and employee codes of
226	214		conduct. Prohibited c onduct as it specifically relates to
227	215		antisemitism shall include harassment and discrimination against
228	216		Jews in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and
229	217		antidiscrimination regulations provided by the United States
230	218		Department of Education and the United States Department of Justice.
231	219		B. Institutions of higher education and public schools shall
232	220		treat harassment of or discrimination against students or employees
	221	+	or resulting from institutional policies or programs on their
	222	+	campuses motivated by or including antisemitic intent in an
	223	+	identical manner to discrimination motivated by race.
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234		-	SB942 HFLR Page 5
235		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	225	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 942 Page 5 1
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260		-	or resulting from institutional policies or programs on their
261		-	campuses motivated by or including antisemitic intent in an
262		-	identical manner to discrimination motivated by race.
263	250		C. All institutions of higher education and public schools are
264	251		encouraged to:
265	252		1. Incorporate antisemitism awareness training for all
266	253		students, faculty, administrators, and campus police;
267	254		2. Integrate Jewish Americ an heritage curriculum for students
268	255		that incorporates Jewish experiences in the United States of America
269	256		pre- and post-revolution, pre- and post-World War II and the
270	257		Holocaust, and in modern times; and
271	258		3. Place reasonable time, place, and manner restricti ons on
272	259		speech to ensure order and protect the rights of all students.
273	260		D. 1. The State Department of Education shall designate a
274	261		Title VI coordinator dedicated to monitoring antisemitic
275	262		discrimination and harassment in public schools in this state. All
276	263		public schools shall electronically report incidents and complaints
277	264		of antisemitic discrimination and harassment to the Title VI
278	265		coordinator. The Title VI Coordinator shall establish, maintain,
279	266		and publicize a formal reporting process whereby students, par ents,
280	267		staff, and faculty can submit complaints of antisemitic
281	268		discrimination and harassment.
282	269		2. The Title VI coordinator designated pursuant to paragraph 1
283	270		of this subsection shall thoroughly investigate all submitted
	271	+	complaints. If after a reasonable in vestigation a Title VI
	272	+	coordinator determines that a public school has engaged in, allowed,
	273	+	or not sufficiently prohibited antisemitic discrimination, the State
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285		-	SB942 HFLR Page 6
286		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	275	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 942 Page 6 1
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311		-	complaints. If after a reasonable investigation a Title VI
312		-	coordinator determines that a public school has engaged in, allowed,
313		-	or not sufficiently prohibited antisemitic discrimination, the State
314	300		Department of Education shall provide wr itten notice to the public
315	301		school to address the compla int within thirty (30) days of receiving
316	302		the notice.
317	303		3. If the Title VI coordinator determines that the public
318	304		school has not taken the necessary actions to address the complaint
319	305		within thirty (30) days of receiving the notice, the Department
320	306		shall report its findings to the United States Department of
321	307		Education and the United States Department of Justice by making a
322	308		complaint under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
323	309		E. 1. The Oklahoma State R egents for Higher Education shall
324	310		designate a Title VI coordinator dedicated to monitoring antisemitic
325	311		discrimination and harassment in institutions of higher education in
326	312		this state. All institutions of higher education shall
327	313		electronically report incidents and complaints of antisemitic
328	314		discrimination and ha rassment to the Title VI coordinator.
329	315		2. The Title VI coordinator designated pursuant to paragraph 1
330	316		of this subsection shall thoroughly investigate all submitted
331	317		complaints. If after a reasonable in vestigation a Title VI
332	318		coordinator determines that an i nstitution of higher education has
333	319		engaged in, allowed, or not sufficiently prohibited antisemitic
334	320		discrimination, the State Regents shall provide written notice to
	321	+	the institution of higher education to address the complaint within
	322	+	thirty (30) days of rec eiving the notice.
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336		-	SB942 HFLR Page 7
337		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	324	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 942 Page 7 1
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362		-	the institution of higher education to address the complaint within
363		-	thirty (30) days of receiving the notice.
364	349		3. If the Title VI coordinator determines that the institution
365	350		of higher education has not taken the necessary actions to address
366	351		the complaint within thirty (30) days of receiving the notice, the
367	352		State Regents shall report their findin gs to the United States
368	353		Department of Education and the United States Department of Justice
369	354		by making a complaint under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
370	355		1964.
371	356		F. No later than June 30, 2026, and June 30 each subsequent
372	357		year, the Title VI coordinators d esignated pursuant to paragraph 1
373	358		of subsections D and E of this section shall electronically submit
374	359		to the Legislature a report on antisemitism in institutions of
375	360		higher education and public schools.
376	361		G. The Legislature is encouraged to conduct hearings a nd/or
377	362		investigations to assess if institutions are adequately addressing
378	363		antisemitic harassment and discrimination; if not, the Legislature
379	364		should consider reducing or eliminating state funding to such
380	365		institutions.
381	366		SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
382	367		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 24 -164 of Title 70, unless there
383	368		is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
384	369		A. Nothing in this act shall be con strued to diminish or
385	370		infringe upon any right protected under the First Amendment to the
	371	+	United States Constitution or Section 22 of Article II of the
	372	+	Oklahoma Constitution.
386	373
387		-	SB942 HFLR Page 8
388		-	BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
	374	+	ENGR. S. B. NO. 942 Page 8 1
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413		-	United States Constitution or Section 22 of Article II of the
414		-	Oklahoma Constitution.
415	399		B. Nothing in this act shall be construed to conflict with
416	400		federal or state discrimination laws.
417	401		SECTION 4. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
418	402		SECTION 5. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
419	403		of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
420	404		declared to exist, by r eason whereof this act shall take effect and
421	405		be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
	406	+	Passed the Senate the 25th day of March, 2025.
422	407
423		-	COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION OVERSIGHT, dated
424		-	04/16/2025 - DO PASS, As Coauthored .
	408	+
	409	+
	410	+	Presiding Officer of the Senate
	411	+
	412	+
	413	+	Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________,
	414	+	2025.
	415	+
	416	+
	417	+
	418	+	Presiding Officer of the House
	419	+	of Representatives
	420	+