The bill, known as the "Advancing Rights for Caregiving, Health, and Extended Recovery (Maternity Leave Protection for Teachers) Act" or the ARCHER Act, amends existing laws regarding sick leave and maternity leave for teachers in Oklahoma. It creates exceptions to the current sick leave limits, allowing full-time employees of public school districts who have been employed for at least one year to utilize accrued sick leave to extend their maternity leave beyond the standard six weeks provided. This extended leave can be used for recovery from childbirth, bonding with a newborn, or caring for a newborn, and does not require additional approval from the school board as long as the employee has sufficient sick leave. The bill also specifies that sick leave used for this purpose shall not exceed six weeks unless a medical professional certifies the need for additional leave.

Additionally, the bill mandates that the Legislature appropriate adequate funding to support the Public School Paid Maternity Leave Revolving Fund, ensuring that eligible school district employees receive paid maternity leave. If the Legislature fails to provide sufficient funding, the State Board of Education is required to allocate funds from its budget to cover the costs of paid maternity leave. The act is set to take effect on November 1, 2025.