Technology (Data Privacy)

HB 1403 requires Oklahoma public school districts to offer free annual parent seminars covering substance abuse prevention, bullying, mental health awareness, and internet safety (including pornography addiction). These seminars must occur after 6:00 p.m. at least once yearly in a school building and are available to all parents at no cost. School districts may use their own curriculum or adopt the State Board of Education's approved curriculum, but may opt out if their board deems the topics unimportant to families - requiring written justification to the State Board. The State Board must report on implementation progress, attendance, and opt-out reasons to the Legislature by November 2025 and July 2026, with the bill effective July 1, 2025.

Oklahoma Senate Bill 224 creates the Oklahoma Education and Workforce Efficiency Data System (EDS), a secure platform for state agencies to share de-identified student and workforce data across education and employment systems. It directly affects state agencies like the Oklahoma Department of Education, Workforce Commission, and higher education bodies by enabling data integration for improving educational outcomes and taxpayer return on investment. Key provisions include requiring strict privacy compliance (under FERPA and similar laws), prohibiting collection of sensitive data (religion, medical information), and establishing a Governance Council to oversee data access and vendor selection. The system aims to support evidence-based decisions while ensuring data privacy through formal agreements and anonymization for approved users like researchers.

HB 2022 amends Oklahoma's Open Records Act to clarify what qualifies as a "record" and expand exemptions for personal information. It specifically adds new exemptions in Section 24A.5, including personal financial data (like credit reports), Social Security numbers, driver records, and contact details submitted for licensing, which must now be redacted from public documents. The bill directly affects public bodies (like government agencies and courts) that handle records and citizens requesting documents, by making it clearer when they can deny requests or remove sensitive details. Key changes include defining "public body" more precisely and requiring requesters to provide reasonable specificity to avoid blanket denials. These updates aim to balance public access with privacy protections for individuals.

SB 546 establishes data privacy rights for Oklahoma residents by requiring businesses that process personal data (referred to as "controllers") to honor consumer requests about their information. It mandates clear privacy notices, prohibits deceptive "dark patterns" for consent, and gives consumers rights to access, correct, or delete their data. The law excludes health data covered by HIPAA, certain nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions. Businesses must respond to requests within specific timeframes and implement data protection measures, with enforcement by the Attorney General.