This bill amends Oklahoma education law to introduce adoption leave for education employees, alongside existing maternity leave provisions. It updates Sections 6-104.1, 6-104.5, 6-104.6, and 6-104.8 to allow teachers to take up to 90 school days of unpaid leave for newly adopted children. Additionally, the bill extends paid maternity leave from six weeks to twelve weeks and ensures that both maternity and adoption leave are available to eligible employees who have worked for at least one year and logged a minimum of 1,250 hours in the preceding year.

Furthermore, the bill creates two new revolving funds: the Public School Paid Maternity and Adoption Leave Revolving Fund and the Education Employee Paid Maternity and Adoption Leave Revolving Fund, which will reimburse school districts for paid leave expenses. It establishes a continuing fund for reimbursing agencies like the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education and the Department of Corrections for maternity and adoption leave expenses. The legislation also clarifies that employees of the Office of Juvenile Affairs are entitled to these leave benefits and makes amendments to the agency's structure and salary provisions for correctional teachers and vocational instructors. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, with an emergency clause for immediate implementation upon passage and approval.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 57-510.6a