Education; creating the Free to Speak Act; prohibiting public school and certain institution of higher learning employees from addressing certain students in certain manner. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 591, the "Free to Speak Act," requires public school and state university employees in Oklahoma to use a student's legal name and pronouns matching the sex listed on their original birth certificate - without parental permission for minors. It prohibits job penalties for employees who refuse to use preferred names/pronouns inconsistent with birth certificate sex and protects students from disciplinary action for refusing to use such names/pronouns. The bill defines "sex" strictly as biological sex based on genetics and physiology as recorded on a birth certificate. Violations allow affected employees or students to seek legal remedies, including damages, within two years.