HB 1965: Children; Children's Code; term; procedure if jury trial is waived; individualized service plan; termination of parental rights; district attorney; exceptions; informal adjustments; Office of Juvenile Affairs; effective date. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was transitioned from the House version to the Senate floor version, incorporating specific committee amendments that refine legal definitions. The most significant substantive change is the addition of a clause to the definition of 'Abuse,' which explicitly states that ordinary force used for discipline (such as spanking, switching, or paddling) is not considered abuse. Other changes include reordering the definitions of abuse categories and adding new definitions for terms like 'Assessment' and 'Child advocacy center.'

Scope change

The scope of the bill remains the Oklahoma Children's Code and Juvenile Code, but the applicability of the term 'Abuse' has been narrowed to exclude certain forms of corporal punishment used as discipline.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'Abuse' was modified to explicitly exclude ordinary force used as discipline, including spanking, switching, or paddling, from being considered abuse.

New definitions were added for 'Assessment' (a review of child safety and family functioning) and 'Child advocacy center' (centers accredited by the National Children's Alliance or completing reaccreditation).

The definition of 'Sexual exploitation' was reordered to list allowing a child to engage in prostitution before listing lewd or obscene acts.

New definitions were added for 'Child with a disability' and 'Child-placing agency' to clarify who falls under these categories.

The definition of 'Age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate' was expanded to include a specific clause ensuring that federal academic mandates cannot override state or local control over curriculum and instruction.

House Committee Substitute → HB1965 (4-30-25) (BULLARD) FS FA1.PDF · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was converted from a committee substitute to a floor substitute, indicating it has passed committee review and is ready for final floor action. The substantive text of the Oklahoma Children's Code definitions remains largely unchanged, though minor formatting adjustments were made to the list of definitions.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; it continues to define terms within the Oklahoma Children's Code.

TECHNICAL

The bill title was updated from 'Committee Substitute' to 'Floor Substitute' and the list of sponsors was expanded to include Senate sponsors, reflecting its progression through the legislative process.

Minor formatting and spacing adjustments were made throughout the document, including reordering the list of defined terms (e.g., moving 'Sexual exploitation' and 'Adjudication' to different positions in the list) without altering their legal definitions.

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 → House Committee Substitute · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was significantly revised to remove the 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute' designation and replace the entire text with a new version. The most substantive change is the addition of a new definition for 'child advocacy center,' which now includes centers completing their sixth year of reaccreditation and establishes a classification system based on district child population sizes.

Scope change

The bill's scope was updated to include child advocacy centers that are in the final year of their accreditation cycle, expanding the definition of eligible centers beyond only those fully accredited.

DEFINITION

Added a new definition for 'child advocacy center' that includes centers completing their sixth year of reaccreditation.

Established a classification system for child advocacy centers into 'nonurban' and 'midlevel nonurban' categories based on the child population of the district attorney's district.

TECHNICAL

Changed the document title from 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute' to 'Committee Substitute' and updated page reference numbers.

Enrolled (final version) → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten by the Policy Committee, replacing the original text with a new version that updates statutory references and modifies key definitions. The most significant substantive change is the removal of a provision that previously allowed parents to use corporal punishment (spanking, switching, or paddling) as a form of discipline. The new text also alters the definition of 'sexual exploitation' and changes the title to reflect a different scope regarding juvenile diversion services.

Scope change

The bill's scope was technically narrowed in its title description by removing references to 'diversion services' and 'guardian appointment,' while the substantive text was replaced entirely to update legal citations and definitions.

DEFINITION

Deleted a clause explicitly stating that nothing in the Children's Code prohibits parents from using ordinary force, such as spanking or paddling, for discipline.

Changed the definition of 'sexual exploitation' to include engaging a child in prostitution and specific types of lewd photography or filming.

TECHNICAL

Updated all statutory citations to reflect the current version of the Oklahoma Children's Code and removed references to guardian appointment laws.

REQUIREMENT

Replaced the original long list of bill purposes with a new summary focusing on children's code amendments, jury trial procedures, service plans, and juvenile diversion assessments.

Engrossed → Enrolled (final version) · 4 edits · May 28, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was finalized as an enrolled act, changing the title from a general children's procedure bill to a comprehensive act covering the Oklahoma Children's Code, diversion services, and guardianship. The most significant substantive change is the removal of the definition of 'abuse' that explicitly allowed parents to use ordinary force, including spanking, switching, or paddling, for discipline. Additionally, the definition of 'child advocacy centers' was updated to correct a typo in the classification criteria for mid-level centers.

Scope change

The scope expanded from a general procedural bill to a comprehensive act amending multiple sections of the Oklahoma Children's Code, including definitions, diversion services, and guardianship appointments.

DEFINITION

Deleted the provision stating that parents are not prohibited from using ordinary force like spanking or paddling as a means of discipline.

Corrected a typo in the definition of 'child advocacy center' by changing 'midlevel nonurban centers' to 'midlevel mid-level nonurban centers'.

SCOPE

Added new sections regarding diversion services, recidivism data publication, and guardianship preferences that were not present in the engrossed version.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill title and sponsor list to reflect the final enrolled version, including adding a Senate sponsor (Pederson) and changing the bill number format.

Amended And Engrossed → Engrossed · 5 edits · May 8, 2025

MODERATE

This amendment updates the definitions in the Oklahoma Children's Code to clarify terms like 'abandonment' and 'abuse,' while adding new definitions for concepts such as 'assessment' and 'child advocacy center.' It also includes a provision preventing federal mandates from controlling local school curricula. These changes aim to provide clearer legal standards for child welfare cases and update terminology to reflect current practices.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on child welfare and juvenile justice, but the applicability of specific definitions has been refined to include new categories like 'sexual exploitation' involving pornography and to clarify the role of child advocacy centers based on accreditation status.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'abandonment' was expanded to include failure to respond to notice of deprived proceedings, ensuring parents cannot ignore legal notices to avoid termination of rights.

The definition of 'abuse' was expanded to explicitly include sexual exploitation involving the lewd, obscene, or pornographic depiction of a child by someone responsible for their welfare.

New definitions were added for 'assessment' (a review of safety when no immediate threat exists) and 'child advocacy center' (centers accredited by the National Children's Alliance or in their sixth year of reaccreditation).

The definition of 'age-appropriate' was updated to specifically account for the developmental stages of individual children, not just general age groups.

REQUIREMENT

A new provision was added stating that federal laws cannot mandate or control state or local school curriculum, instructional content, or academic standards.

Introduced → Amended And Engrossed · 5 edits · May 8, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand its scope from solely addressing the Oklahoma Children's Code to also include the Oklahoma Juvenile Code and guardianship laws. Key substantive changes include adding requirements for diversion services before filing certain petitions, mandating the publication of recidivism data by the Office of Juvenile Affairs, and clarifying definitions regarding abuse and abandonment. These updates aim to improve early intervention through diversion programs and increase transparency regarding juvenile justice outcomes.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include the Oklahoma Juvenile Code and laws regarding the appointment of guardians for minors, in addition to the existing focus on the Oklahoma Children's Code.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for the provision of diversion services before filing certain petitions or upon assuming custody.

Added a mandate for the Office of Juvenile Affairs to evaluate and publish recidivism rates, ensuring the data remains unidentifiable to specific individuals.

Added a requirement to provide reunification services as part of certain individualized service plans.

DEFINITION

Modified the definitions of 'Abandonment' and 'Abuse' to align with updated statutory language and clarify the scope of harm.

SCOPE

Expanded the bill's applicability to include the Oklahoma Juvenile Code and guardianship statutes.

Children; Children's Code; term; procedure if jury trial is waived; individualized service plan; termination of parental rights; district attorney; exceptions; informal adjustments; Office of Juvenile Affairs; effective date.

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