HB 1277 Oklahoma House · 2025 Regular Session

State Board of Education; providing reasons for which a license or certificate may be revoked or suspended; providing for notice; effective date; emergency.

HB 1277 updates Oklahoma's rules for revoking or suspending educator licenses (e.g., teachers, principals, school nurses). It specifically requires license revocation for individuals convicted of sexual abuse or exploitation under certain Oklahoma laws, and outlines five additional grounds: willful law violations, child abuse/neglect, serious misconduct, incompetence, or neglect of professional duties. The bill mandates that license holders receive at least 10 days' notice before a complaint is filed and prohibits summary suspensions without proper process. This directly affects educators seeking or holding state-issued licenses for public school roles.
Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
Governor
Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Last action May 29, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 6 comparisons

What changed between versions

Floor (House) Floor (Senate) · 6 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended from a House floor version to a Senate floor version, significantly changing its focus from funding phone-free spaces in schools to establishing comprehensive reporting requirements and licensing standards for the State Board of Education. The Senate version removes all provisions related to grants for phone-free spaces and instead emphasizes administrative oversight, budget reporting, and stricter background checks for school personnel.
Scope change
The bill's scope shifted from a specific funding program for phone-free spaces to broader administrative and reporting functions of the State Board of Education.
FISCAL

All provisions allocating $7.5 million for grants to incentivize phone-free spaces in middle and high schools were removed.

ELIGIBILITY

Application processes, selection criteria, and grant distribution rules for phone-free space initiatives were eliminated.

REQUIREMENT

New requirement for the State Board of Education to submit an annual report to the Governor and Legislature containing detailed statistics, financial data, and recommendations for school system improvement.

Expanded authority for the State Board of Education to formulate curricula, courses of study, and instructional aids.

ENFORCEMENT

Strengthened background check requirements for school personnel, specifically adding provisions to revoke or suspend licenses for individuals convicted of sexual abuse or exploitation crimes.

DEFINITION

Changed the codification section from creating a new section for phone-free space grants to amending existing supervision and licensing provisions.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
32
Key actions
9
Committee
8
Amendments
1
May 21, 2025
Committee
Referred for enrollment
lower
May 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
Fourth Reading, Measure and Emergency Passed: Ayes: 78 Nays: 12
lower
May 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
SA's read, adopted
lower
May 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
Engrossed to House
upper
May 7, 2025
Committee
Referred for engrossment
upper
May 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Measure and Emergency passed: Ayes: 39 Nays: 6
upper
May 7, 2025
Introduced
General Order, Amended by Floor Substitute
upper
Apr 22, 2025
Committee
Referred to Appropriations
upper
Apr 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported Do Pass, amended by committee substitute Education committee; CR filed
upper
Mar 17, 2025
Introduced
First Reading
upper
Mar 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Engrossed, signed, to Senate
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Committee
Referred for engrossment
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third Reading, Measure passed and Emergency failed: Ayes: 56 Nays: 23; Ayes: 56 Nays: 23
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
CR; Do Pass, as amended, Appropriations and Budget Committee
lower
Feb 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Recommendation to the full committee; Do Pass Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee
lower
Feb 4, 2025
Committee
Referred to Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee
lower
Feb 3, 2025
Introduced
First Reading
lower
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors