SB 797: State Board of Education; authorizing certain action; requiring notice. Effective date. Emergency. - Oklahoma

SB797 (3-24-25) (PUGH) FA2.PDF → Floor (Senate) · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends the Oklahoma State Board of Education's powers, requiring electronic reporting to the Governor and Legislature, and establishing stricter rules for suspending or revoking educator certificates. The changes add specific criminal offense categories that automatically disqualify individuals from receiving teaching certificates and require the Board to consolidate budget functions into two main categories.

Scope change

The bill expands the State Board of Education's authority over budget preparation and reporting requirements, while adding specific criminal offenses related to sexual abuse and exploitation that result in automatic certificate revocation.

REQUIREMENT

Requires the State Board of Education to submit an electronic report to the Governor and Legislature by December 1st each year containing enrollment, expenditure, and performance data.

FISCAL

Mandates that the Board consolidate budget functions into two main categories: administration and aid to schools, with a designated maximum amount for administration.

ELIGIBILITY

Adds specific criminal offenses related to sexual abuse and exploitation to the list of crimes that automatically disqualify individuals from receiving or retaining teaching certificates.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarifies that the State Board of Education may only revoke or suspend certificates for specific reasons and must follow certain procedures before taking action.

DEFINITION

Updates statutory references and clarifies the Board's authority over licensure, certification, and personnel in public schools.

SB797 (3-17-25) (PUGH) FA1.PDF → SB797 (3-24-25) (PUGH) FA2.PDF · 5 edits

MODERATE

This amendment adds new provisions allowing immediate suspension without notice or hearing for school administrators and teachers when there is cause for dismissal and immediate action is in the best interests of children. The changes establish specific timelines for initiating dismissal proceedings and outline compensation rules during suspension, including exceptions for criminal charges.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly covers both school administrators and teachers under new suspension procedures, whereas the original text only referenced administrators.

REQUIREMENT

Added Section 2 allowing immediate suspension of school administrators without notice or hearing when cause for dismissal exists and immediate action serves children's best interests.

Extended suspension duration in criminal cases to include time until trial adjudication, excluding appeal processes.

TIMELINE

Established a 10-day deadline for local boards of education to initiate dismissal proceedings after an administrator is suspended.

ELIGIBILITY

Added Section 3 allowing immediate suspension of teachers without notice or hearing under similar conditions as administrators.

ENFORCEMENT

Created provisions for suspending compensation during suspension if criminal charges could lead to certificate denial or revocation, with restoration of pay if the administrator or teacher is found not guilty.

Introduced → SB797 (3-17-25) (PUGH) FA1.PDF · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill text was reformatted to include chamber disposition headers and committee amendment signatures, but the substantive legislative content remains unchanged. A floor amendment was submitted that proposes minor text modifications to the bill, though these changes have not yet been incorporated into the final version.

TECHNICAL

Added chamber disposition headers (SENATE CHAMBER, FLOOR AMENDMENT, COMMITTEE AMENDMENT) and page numbering information that were not present in the introduced version.

Added floor amendment submission form with specific text modification requests to pages 5, lines 20-23 of the bill.

State Board of Education; authorizing certain action; requiring notice. Effective date. Emergency.

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