1| STATE OF OKLAHOMA | | | 2| 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) | | | 3|SENATE BILL 968 By: Jett | | | 4| | | | 5| | | | 6| AS INTRODUCED | | | 7| An Act relating to schools; allowing a school | | district board of education to contract with a | 8| chaplain to perform certain duties; exempting | | chaplain from certain requirements; defining term; | 9| requiring certain record check; providing for | | codification; providing an effective date; and | 10| declaring an 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 6-101.9 of Title 70, unless | | | 16|there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: | | | 17| A. A school district board of education may contract with a | | | 18|chaplain to perform the duties of a school counselor. A chaplain | | | 19|shall not be required to meet the certification requirements of | | | 20|Section 6-122.3 or 6-187 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes and | | | 21|shall not be considered a teacher as defined by Section 1-116 of | | | 22|Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes. For the purposes of this | | | 23|section, "chaplain" means an ordained or authorized pastor, | | | 24|minister, priest, or other ecclesiastical dignitary of any | | | Req. No. 1613 Page 1 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|denomination who has been duly ordained or authorized by the church | | | 2|to which the person belongs. | | | 3| B. A chaplain hired pursuant to the provisions of this section | | | 4|shall be subject to a national criminal history record check as | | | 5|required by Section 5-142 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes. | | | 6| SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023. | | | 7| SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation | | | 8|of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby | | | 9|declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and | | | 10|be in full force from and after its passage and approval. | | | 11| | | | 12| 59-1-1613 EB 1/19/2023 1:03:41 PM | | | 13| | | | 14| | | | 15| | | | 16| | | | 17| | | | 18| | | | 19| | | | 20| | | | 21| | | | 22| | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 1613 Page 2