An act relating to children, the official text

1                   STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2   1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)

3 HOUSE BILL 2895               By: Townley

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6                               AS INTRODUCED

7   An Act relating to children; amending 10 O.S. 2021,

    405.4, which relates to the Oklahoma Child Care

8   Facilities Licensing Act; providing time period to

    appoint certain teacher; providing that certain

9   children be excluded when determining required number

    of certain teachers; and providing an effective date.

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12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

13  SECTION 1.      AMENDATORY  10 O.S. 2021, Section 405.4, is

14 amended to read as follows:

15  Section 405.4. A. Any person with a bachelor's degree or

16 postgraduate degree shall be considered as having met the

17 educational requirements for a director of a full-time child care

18 center required by the Department of Human Services. Nothing in

19 this section shall be construed as to affect annual continuing

20 education requirements. The director of a child care center may

21 also qualify as a master teacher for children of all ages.

22  B. 1. Any person replacing a master teacher at a child care

23 center shall be granted a one-year probationary period to fulfill

24 the educational qualifications required by the Department for a

    Req. No. 10549                                                  Page 1
1 master teacher. The Department may extend the probationary period

2 an additional year as long as the person is actively pursuing that

3 goal.

4   2. Directors shall have sixty (60) days to appoint a

5 probationary master teacher.

6   C. Licensed child care facilities opened or expanded before

7 November 1, 2016, shall have thirty-five (35) square feet of floor

8 area per infant in rooms occupied only by infants. New construction

9 and existing space not previously licensed for child care after

10 November 1, 2016, shall have forty (40) square feet of floor area

11 per infant in rooms occupied only by infants.

12  D. In determining the number of master teachers required based

13 on license capacity and desired Star level, after school care

14 children shall not be counted toward the license capacity.

15  SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.

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17  60-1-10549      CMA  01/02/25

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    Req. No. 10549                                                 Page 2