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|BILL NO. 39 By: Stanley of the Senate |
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| Vancuren of the House |
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6| An Act relating to schools; amending 70 O.S. 2021, |
| Section 6-101.6b, which relates to whistleblower |
7| protection for teachers; making protections |
| applicable to support employees; defining term; |
8| updating statutory reference; providing an effective |
| date; and declaring an emergency. |
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11|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: |
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12| SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-101.6b, is |
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13|amended to read as follows: |
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14| Section 6-101.6b. A. For purposes of this section, "teacher" |
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15|means the term as defined in paragraph 1 of Section 1-116 of Title |
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16|70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title, and "support employee" means |
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17|the term as defined in paragraph 8 of Section 1-116 of this title. |
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18| B. No school district shall prohibit or take disciplinary |
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19|action against teachers or support employees for: |
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20| 1. Disclosing public information to correct what the teacher or |
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21|support employee reasonably believes evidences a violation of the |
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22|Oklahoma Constitution or law or a rule promulgated pursuant to law; |
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23| 2. Reporting a violation of the Oklahoma Constitution or state |
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24|or federal law; or |
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1| 3. Taking any of the above actions without giving prior notice |
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2|to the teacher's or support employee's supervisor or anyone else in |
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3|the teacher's relevant chain of command. |
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4| C. For the purposes of this section, "reporting" means |
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5|providing a spoken or written account to a supervising teacher, |
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6|administrator, school board member, representative from the State |
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7|Department of Education, law enforcement official, district |
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8|attorney, and/or parent or legal guardian of a student directly |
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9|impacted by the actions. |
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10| D. Each school district shall prominently post or publish a |
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11|copy of this section of law in locations where it can reasonably be |
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12|expected to come to the attention of all teachers and support |
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13|employees. |
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14| E. Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow a |
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15|teacher or a support employee to violate students' or parents' |
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16|rights to confidentiality and protection under the Family |
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17|Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). |
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18| SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023. |
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19| SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation |
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20|of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby |
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21|declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and |
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22|be in full force from and after its passage and approval. |
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23| Passed the Senate the 7th day of March, 2023. |
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| Presiding Officer of the Senate |
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3| Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________, |
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4|2023. |
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| Presiding Officer of the House |
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