Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
3 HOUSE BILL 4302 By: Pae
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6 AS INTRODUCED
7 An Act relating to children; amending 10 O.S. 2021,
Section 601.6, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 178,
8 O.S.L. 2025 (10 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 601.6),
which relates to the Office of Juvenile System
9 Oversight; authorizing the Office to subpoena certain
records; authorizing the release of certain
10 information for certain purposes; and providing an
effective date.
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15 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
16 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 10 O.S. 2021, Section 601.6, as
17 amended by Section 1, Chapter 178, O.S.L. 2025 (10 O.S. Supp. 2025,
18 Section 601.6), is amended to read as follows:
19 Section 601.6. A. For purposes of this section, the term
20 "children and youth service system" shall have the same meaning as
21 it is defined in Section 600 of this title.
22 B. The Office of Juvenile System Oversight shall have the
23 responsibility of inspecting and investigating misfeasance and
24 malfeasance within the children and youth service system, as
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1 directed by the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth, to
2 ascertain compliance with established responsibilities.
3 C. The Office shall conduct not less than one but not more than
4 two regular, periodic, unannounced inspections of state-operated
5 children's institutions and facilities annually. The Office is
6 further authorized to inspect privately operated children's
7 institutions and facilities that receive state or federal funding,
8 on a periodic basis or as needed.
9 D. The Office shall investigate complaints filed with the
10 Office regarding the children and youth service system.
11 E. The Office of Juvenile System Oversight shall have the
12 authority to:
13 1. Access all facilities within the children and youth service
14 system for the purpose of conducting inspections and investigations;
15 2. Examine and copy all records and budgets pertaining to the
16 children and youth service system and to review inspection reports
17 of the State Fire Marshal, State Department of Health, and any other
18 agency that accredits such institutions and facilities;
19 3. Interview the residents of institutions and facilities
20 within the children and youth service system;
21 4. Subpoena child or juvenile records maintained by state-
22 operated and privately-operated entities within the children and
23 youth service system;
24 5. Subpoena witnesses and hold public hearings;
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1 5. 6. Establish, in accordance with the Dispute Resolution Act,
2 Sections 1801 through 1813 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes, a
3 voluntary program for foster parents to mediate complaints
4 concerning the rights of foster parents, as provided for in Section
5 1-9-119 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes, that relate to
6 certain actions, inactions or decisions of the Department of Human
7 Services, the Department of Juvenile Justice, or child-placing
8 agencies that may adversely affect the safety and well-being of
9 children in the custody of the state;
10 6. 7. Receive any complaint alleging that an employee of the
11 Department of Human Services or a child-placing agency has
12 threatened a foster parent with removal of a child from the foster
13 parent, harassed a foster parent, or refused to place a child in a
14 licensed or certified foster home, or disrupted a child placement as
15 retaliation or discrimination towards a foster parent who has:
16 a. filed a grievance pursuant to Section 1-9-120 of Title
17 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes,
18 b. provided information to any state official or
19 Department employee, or
20 c. testified, assisted, or otherwise participated in an
21 investigation, proceeding, or hearing against the
22 Department or child-placing agency.
23 The Office of Juvenile System Oversight shall forward the
24 complaints to the Office of Client Advocacy for investigation
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1 pursuant to subsection D of Section 1-9-112 of Title 10A of the
2 Oklahoma Statutes. The Office of Juvenile System Oversight shall
3 work with the Office of Client Advocacy to ensure the complaints are
4 investigated and resolved in accordance with the grievance
5 procedures provided in Section 1-9-120 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma
6 Statutes. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to any
7 complaint by a foster parent regarding the result of a criminal,
8 administrative, or civil proceeding for a violation of any law,
9 rule, or contract provision by that foster parent, or the action
10 taken by the Department or a child-placing agency in conformity with
11 the result of any such proceeding;
12 7. 8. Issue reports to the Governor, Speaker of the House of
13 Representatives, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Chief Justice
14 of the Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma, any appropriate
15 prosecutorial agency, the director of the agency under
16 consideration, and other persons as necessary and appropriate; and
17 8. 9. Provide recommendations to the Oklahoma Commission on
18 Children and Youth on or before May 1 of each year.
19 F. The Office of Juvenile System Oversight shall not release
20 information that would identify a person who makes a complaint to
21 the Office, unless a:
22 1. A court of competent jurisdiction orders release of the
23 information for good cause shown; or
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1 2. The disclosure of such information is needed to protect the
2 safety of others if the complainant has communicated an explicit
3 threat to kill or inflict serious bodily injury upon a reasonably
4 identified person or has communicated an explicit threat against any
5 entity. The Office shall be deemed to have taken reasonable
6 precautions if it makes a reasonable effort to:
7 a. communicate the threat to the reasonably identified
8 person or entity, and
9 b. notify an appropriate law enforcement agency in the
10 vicinity where the complainant or any potential victim
11 resides.
12 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
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14 60-2-15641 CMA 01/06/26
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Req. No. 15641 Page 5Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.