1| STATE OF OKLAHOMA | | | 2| 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026) | | | 3|SENATE BILL 1738 By: Jett | | | 4| | | | 5| | | | 6| AS INTRODUCED | | | 7| An Act relating to schools; allowing a school | | district or public charter school to employ or accept | 8| as a volunteer one or more chaplains; exempting | | chaplains from certification requirements; defining | 9| term; requiring school districts and public charter | | schools to request certain record check; prohibiting | 10| a school district or public charter school from | | employing or accepting as a volunteer individuals | 11| subject to certain registry; prohibiting a student or | | school employee from being required to seek support | 12| or services from an employed or volunteer chaplain; | | providing for codification; providing an effective | 13| date; and declaring an emergency. | | | 14| | | | 15| | | | 16|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: | | | 17| SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified | | | 18|in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 6-101.9 of Title 70, unless | | | 19|there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: | | | 20| A. A school district or public charter school may employ or | | | 21|accept as a volunteer one or more chaplains to provide support, | | | 22|services, and programs for school employees and students as assigned | | | 23|by the school district board of education or the governing body of | | | 24|the charter school. A chaplain employed or volunteering pursuant to | | | Req. No. 3251 Page 1 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|the provisions of this subsection shall not be required to be | | | 2|certified by the State Board of Education. For the purposes of this | | | 3|section, "chaplain" means an ordained or authorized pastor, | | | 4|minister, priest, or other ecclesiastical dignitary of any | | | 5|denomination who has been duly ordained or authorized by the church | | | 6|to which such person belongs. | | | 7| B. 1. A school district or public charter school that employs | | | 8|or accepts as a volunteer one or more chaplains pursuant to | | | 9|subsection A of this section shall request that the Oklahoma State | | | 10|Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) provide a national criminal history | | | 11|record check for the employed or volunteer chaplain or chaplains | | | 12|prior to the individual working or volunteering at the school | | | 13|district or public charter school. The national criminal history | | | 14|record check shall comply with the provisions of Section 5-142 of | | | 15|Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes. | | | 16| 2. A school district or public charter school shall not employ | | | 17|or accept as a volunteer a chaplain who has been convicted of or is | | | 18|a defendant for an offense that requires the defendant to register | | | 19|as a sex offender. | | | 20| C. No student or school employee shall be required to seek | | | 21|support or services from an employed or volunteer chaplain. | | | 22| SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026. | | | 23| SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation | | | 24|of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby | | | Req. No. 3251 Page 2 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and | | | 2|be in full force from and after its passage and approval. | | | 3| | | | 4| 60-2-3251 EB 1/14/2026 3:31:59 PM | | | 5| | | | 6| | | | 7| | | | 8| | | | 9| | | | 10| | | | 11| | | | 12| | | | 13| | | | 14| | | | 15| | | | 16| | | | 17| | | | 18| | | | 19| | | | 20| | | | 21| | | | 22| | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 3251 Page 3