House Bill No. 1491, introduced by Johns, amends Section 3-104 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, which governs the powers and duties of the State Board of Education. The bill restricts the Board's ability to revoke or suspend licenses or certificates to specific circumstances, such as willful violations of laws, child abuse or neglect, moral turpitude, or certain criminal convictions. It also requires the Board to provide notice prior to any revocation or suspension, except in emergency situations that necessitate immediate action. Additionally, the bill mandates that all funds collected for the issuance of certificates be deposited into the "Teachers' Certification Fund" to support the administration of teacher certification.

Furthermore, the bill establishes a framework for calculating and distributing "redbud school grants" to school districts and eligible charter schools in Oklahoma. It details the process for determining nonchargeable millage per student and specifies that eligible charter schools will be treated as unique districts. For fiscal year 2022, funding for these grants will come from existing appropriations, while for fiscal year 2023 and beyond, funding will be limited to three-fourths of the tax collected in the previous fiscal year, with potential additional funding from sales tax collections. The bill also defines "eligible charter schools," excludes statewide virtual charter schools, and requires the Department to maintain transparency regarding grant recipients. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, with an emergency clause for immediate implementation upon passage.