This bill amends The Governmental Tort Claims Act by introducing a new section that defines key terms related to wrongful termination claims within public institutions of higher education in Oklahoma. It specifies that an "employee" refers to individuals employed by these institutions, while an "institution" is defined as any public higher education entity under the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. The bill establishes that a "wrongful termination claim" encompasses any legal action alleging wrongful termination of an employee under state law.

Furthermore, the bill imposes a cap on the total amount that can be paid by an institution to resolve such claims, limiting it to an amount equivalent to two years of the employee's base salary or compensation at the time of termination. This cap includes various forms of monetary relief, such as back pay and compensatory damages, but explicitly excludes retirement contributions already earned and accrued unpaid wages or leave. The provisions of this section do not apply to wrongful termination claims arising under federal law, ensuring that federal remedies remain unaffected. The act is set to take effect on November 1, 2026.