House Bill No. 1491, introduced by Johns, modifies the powers and duties of the State Board of Education in Oklahoma concerning the revocation or suspension of licenses and certificates for educational personnel. The bill restricts the Board's authority to revoke or suspend these licenses or certificates to specific circumstances, such as willful violations of state or federal law, child abuse or neglect, moral turpitude, or certain criminal convictions. It also requires the State Department of Education to summarily revoke or suspend a license or certificate in cases of serious offenses related to sexual abuse or exploitation. 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 the certification program.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a framework for calculating and distributing "redbud school grants" to school districts and eligible charter schools in Oklahoma. It specifies the process for determining nonchargeable millage per student and includes provisions for funding these grants from existing appropriations for fiscal year 2022, with a cap of three-fourths of the tax collected in the previous fiscal year for subsequent years. The bill defines "eligible charter schools," excluding statewide virtual charter schools, and requires the Department to maintain transparency regarding grant recipients and allocations. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, with an emergency clause for immediate implementation upon passage and approval.