1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
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3 SENATE BILL 473 By: Paxton
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to school employees; amending Section
7 1, Chapter 135, O.S.L. 2022 (70 O.S. Supp. 2022,
8 Section 509.12), which relates to certain school
8 employee leave of absence; allowing certain school
9 employee to retain certain coverage pursuant to
9 certain provisions; updating statutory references;
10 providing an effective date; and declaring an
10 emergency.
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13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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14 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY Section 1, Chapter 135, O.S.L.
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15 2022 (70 O.S. Supp. 2022, Section 509.12), is amended to read as
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16 follows:
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17 Section 509.12. A. A school district board of education may
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18 approve a request from a school district employee for a leave of
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19 absence to hold office as an officer, director, trustee, or agent of
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20 a national, statewide, or school district employee association. The
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21 employee requesting the leave shall provide the school district
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22 superintendent with proof of election and proof of the term of
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23 office for the national, statewide, or school district employee
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24 association. Proof of election shall include but not be limited to
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 1 certification by the national, statewide, or school district
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2 employee association of the date of the election and the results of
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3 the election. Board of education approval for leave requested
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4 pursuant to this section shall have definitive beginning and end
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5 dates.
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6 B. Leave granted pursuant to this section shall be leave
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7 without pay. The school employee on leave shall not be entitled to
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8 maintain any benefits granted by the school district regardless of
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9 whether the benefit is paid by the employee on leave or the
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10 association for which the person is serving as an officer, director,
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11 trustee, or agent may be allowed to retain insurance coverage
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12 pursuant to Section 1308.1 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
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13 C. During the leave period, the school employee’s position with
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14 the school district shall be maintained without advancement on the
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15 minimum salary schedule adopted pursuant to Section 5-141 of Title
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16 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title and with no accrual of sick
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17 leave, personal business leave, or personal leave. The employee on
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18 leave shall not accumulate service credit within the Teachers’
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19 Retirement System of Oklahoma. Following the term of leave granted
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20 pursuant to the provisions of this section, the employee granted
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21 leave may return to his or her former position or a comparable
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22 position.
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 1 D. A school district employee granted leave pursuant to the
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2 provisions of this section shall be prohibited from accessing school
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3 district office space.
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4 E. If a national, statewide, or school district employee
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5 association that serves as a school district employee organization
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6 established pursuant to Section 509.2 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma
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7 Statutes this title fails to comply with the provisions of this
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8 section, the school district board of education shall no longer
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9 recognize the organization as a representative of employees.
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10 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023.
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11 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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12 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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13 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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14 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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16 59-1-1512 EB 1/17/2023 1:06:23 PM
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