1| SENATE FLOOR VERSION | | April 9, 2024 | 2| AS AMENDED | | | 3|ENGROSSED HOUSE | |BILL NO. 3958 By: Conley and Banning of the | 4| House | | | 5| and | | | 6| Pugh of the Senate | | | 7| | | | 8| | | | 9| [ student communication - exception - training - | | investigation - punishment - codification - effective | 10| date - emergency ] | | | 11| | | | 12| | | | 13|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: | | | 14| SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified | | | 15|in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 6-401 of Title 70, unless there | | | 16|is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: | | | 17| A. As used in this section: | | | 18| 1. "Electronic or digital communication" includes, but is not | | | 19|limited to, emails, text messages, instant messages, direct | | | 20|messages, social media messages, messages sent through software | | | 21|applications, and any other electronic digital means of | | | 22|communication; and | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | arsid1537778 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB3958 SFLR Page 1 ___________________________________________________________________________
1| 2. "School personnel" means teachers, coaches, administrators, | | | 2|school bus drivers, or any other persons employed full-time or | | | 3|part-time by a public school or charter school. | | | 4| B. School personnel engaging in electronic or digital | | | 5|communication with a student shall include the student's parent or | | | 6|guardian in any electronic or digital communication. | | | 7| C. Exceptions to the requirement in subsection B of this | | | 8|section may be made in case of an emergency, subject to subsequent | | | 9|notification to the parent or guardian. School personnel shall make | | | 10|reasonable efforts to use school-approved platforms, systems, or | | | 11|applications that allow automatic inclusion of parents or guardians | | | 12|in communications with students. | | | 13| D. Schools shall provide training, developed by the State | | | 14|Department of Education, for school personnel on the student | | | 15|communication requirements of this section. | | | 16| E. Any school personnel who is reported to be in violation of | | | 17|subsection B of this section shall be put on administrative leave | | | 18|while the school district investigates the incident and notifies the | | | 19|board of education. If the investigation finds that no misconduct | | | 20|occurred, the school personnel shall be reinstated and a written | | | 21|warning of the incident shall be included in the school personnel's | | | 22|employee file. If the investigation finds misconduct occurred, the | | | 23|school personnel's employment shall be terminated, and the incident | | | 24| | | | arsid1537778 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB3958 SFLR Page 2 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|shall be reported to law enforcement pursuant to Section 1210.163 of | | | 2|Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes. | | | 3| SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2024. | | | 4| SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation | | | 5|of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby | | | 6|declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and | | | 7|be in full force from and after its passage and approval. | | | 8|COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION | |April 9, 2024 - DO PASS AS AMENDED | 9| | | | 10| | | | 11| | | | 12| | | | 13| | | | 14| | | | 15| | | | 16| | | | 17| | | | 18| | | | 19| | | | 20| | | | 21| | | | 22| | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | arsid1537778 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB3958 SFLR Page 3