An act relating to schools, the official text

1                          STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2   2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)

3 HOUSE BILL 3006               By: Kendrix

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6                          AS INTRODUCED

7   An Act relating to schools; amending 70 O.S. 2021,

    Section 3-173, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 306,

8   O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 3-173),

    which relates to the Oklahoma Advisory Council on

9   Indian Education; extending sunset date; providing an

    effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

14  SECTION 1.      AMENDATORY  70 O.S. 2021, Section 3-173, as

15 amended by Section 1, Chapter 306, O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025,

16 Section 3-173), is amended to read as follows:

17  Section 3-173. A. There is hereby re-created to continue until

18 July 1, 2026 2027, in accordance with the provisions of the Oklahoma

19 Sunset Law, the Oklahoma Advisory Council on Indian Education.

20  B. The Council shall:

21  1. Make recommendations to the State Board of Education and the

22 Superintendent of Public Instruction in educational matters

23 affecting the education of Native American students;

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    Req. No. 15587                                                 Page 1
1   2. Promote educational opportunities and improvement of the

2 quality of education provided to Native American students throughout

3 the state;

4   3. Advocate for Native American students in the state; and

5   4. Monitor and evaluate how the public education system of the

6 state impacts Native American students.

7   C. The Council shall be composed of eighteen (18) members as

8 follows:

9   1. Five members who shall each represent an Indian tribe in the

10 state, of which at least one shall represent an Indian tribe which

11 has an enrollment of less than ten thousand (10,000) members who

12 reside in the state, appointed by the Speaker of the House of

13 Representatives from a list of nominations submitted by the elected

14 executive leaders of different Indian tribes in the state;

15  2. Four members who shall each represent the tribal education

16 departments of an Indian tribe in the state, appointed by the

17 President Pro Tempore of the Senate from a list of nominations

18 submitted by the elected executive leaders of different Indian

19 tribes in the state;

20  3. One member who shall represent the Oklahoma Council for

21 Indian Education, appointed by the Governor;

22  4. Two members who shall represent two different statewide

23 organizations representing public school teachers, appointed by the

24 President Pro Tempore of the Senate;

    Req. No. 15587                                                 Page 2
1   5. One member who shall represent a statewide organization

2 representing public school superintendents, appointed by the Speaker

3 of the House of Representatives;

4   6. One member who shall represent Oklahoma tribal colleges,

5 appointed by the Chancellor of Higher Education;

6   7. The Director of the Native American Cultural and Educational

7 Authority, or designee;

8   8. The Chancellor of Higher Education, or designee;

9   9. The Director of the Oklahoma Department of Career and

10 Technology Education, or designee; and

11  10. The Superintendent of Public Instruction, or designee.

12  D. Appointments to the Council shall be made by September 1,

13 2023. The first meeting of the Council shall be called by the

14 Superintendent of Public Instruction. At the first meeting, the

15 members of the Council shall elect a chair and vice chair from among

16 the members. Meetings of the Council shall be held at least

17 quarterly at the call of the chair. Members shall serve at the

18 pleasure of their appointing authorities. A majority of the members

19 of the Council shall constitute a quorum to transact business, but

20 no vacancy shall impair the right of the remaining members to

21 exercise all of the powers of the Council. A vacancy on the Council

22 shall be filled by the original appointing authority. A vacancy on

23 the Council in a seat representing an Indian tribe in the state or

24 the tribal education department of an Indian tribe in the state may

    Req. No. 15587                                                Page 3
1 be filled by the original appointing authority from a list of

2 nominations submitted by the elected executive leaders of Indian

3 tribes in the state. Appointments to fill any vacancy on the

4 Council shall be made within three (3) months following the vacancy.

5 The State Department of Education, Oklahoma Department of Career and

6 Technology Education, and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher

7 Education shall provide staff, support, and information as requested

8 by the Council.

9   E. Members of the Council shall receive no compensation for

10 serving on the Council but shall receive travel reimbursement as

11 follows:

12  1. State employees who are members of the Council shall be

13 reimbursed for travel expenses incurred in the performance of their

14 duties by their respective agencies in accordance with the State

15 Travel Reimbursement Act; and

16  2. All other members of the Council shall be reimbursed by the

17 Office of Management and Enterprise Services for travel expenses

18 incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with the

19 State Travel Reimbursement Act.

20  F. The Council shall act in accordance with the provisions of

21 the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act and the Oklahoma Open Records Act.

22  G. Members who serve on the Council shall be exempt from the

23 dual-office-holding prohibitions of Section 6 of Title 51 of the

24 Oklahoma Statutes.

    Req. No. 15587                                                 Page 4
1   H. The Council shall have the following duties:

2   1. Identify strategies for developing an efficient and reliable

3 process of communications between Oklahoma education entities,

4 educators, tribal organizations, and other interested parties;

5   2. Identify and disseminate research-based, measurable

6 criteria, both behavioral and academic, by which the success and

7 efficacy of the education offered to Native American students in

8 Oklahoma may be measured;

9   3. Analyze data to ensure that education agencies in Oklahoma

10 continue to address the education needs of Native American students;

11  4. Encourage and promote Native American educational leadership

12 at all levels of the education system; and

13  5. Make recommendations to the State Board of Education for

14 programs that will help achieve the purposes of the Oklahoma

15 Advisory Council on Indian Education Act.

16  I. The Council shall evaluate and make an annual report on the

17 effectiveness of the public education system in Oklahoma in meeting

18 the needs of Native American students in Oklahoma. The report shall

19 be submitted to the State Board of Education. The report shall also

20 contain a summary of the findings made by the Council pursuant to

21 subsection H of this section, a summary of all data collected by the

22 Council, a summary of the means by which all data was collected by

23 the Council, and any other information deemed necessary by the

24 Council.

    Req. No. 15587                                                 Page 5
1   SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.

2   SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation

3 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby

4 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and

5 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.

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7   60-2-15587      SW  12/15/25

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    Req. No. 15587                                               Page 6