1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
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3 SENATE BILL 39 By: Stanley
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7 AS INTRODUCED
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8 An Act relating to schools; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
8 Section 6-101.6b, which relates to whistleblower
9 protection for teachers; making protections
9 applicable to support employees; defining term;
10 updating statutory reference; providing an effective
10 date; and declaring an emergency.
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14 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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15 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-101.6b, is
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16 amended to read as follows:
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17 Section 6-101.6b. A. For purposes of this section, “teacher”
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18 means the term as defined in paragraph 1 of Section 1-116 of Title
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19 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title, and “support employee” means
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20 the term as defined in paragraph 8 of Section 1-116 of this title.
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21 B. No school district shall prohibit or take disciplinary
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22 action against teachers or support employees for:
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 1 1. Disclosing public information to correct what the teacher or
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2 support employee reasonably believes evidences a violation of the
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3 Oklahoma Constitution or law or a rule promulgated pursuant to law;
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4 2. Reporting a violation of the Oklahoma Constitution or state
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5 or federal law; or
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6 3. Taking any of the above actions without giving prior notice
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7 to the teacher’s or support employee’s supervisor or anyone else in
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8 the teacher’s relevant chain of command.
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9 C. For the purposes of this section, “reporting” means
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10 providing a spoken or written account to a supervising teacher,
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11 administrator, school board member, representative from the State
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12 Department of Education, law enforcement official, district
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13 attorney, and/or parent or legal guardian of a student directly
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14 impacted by the actions.
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15 D. Each school district shall prominently post or publish a
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16 copy of this section of law in locations where it can reasonably be
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17 expected to come to the attention of all teachers and support
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18 employees.
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19 E. Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow a
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20 teacher or a support employee to violate students’ or parents’
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21 rights to confidentiality and protection under the Family
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22 Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).
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23 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023.
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 1 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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2 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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3 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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4 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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6 59-1-456 EB 12/15/2022 8:51:15 AM
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