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
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2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
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3 SENATE BILL 1422 By: Alvord
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to schools; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
7 Section 11-101.1, which relates to voluntary prayer;
8 extending certain requirement to governing bodies of
8 charter schools; requiring boards of education of
9 public school districts and governing bodies of
9 public charter schools to adopt certain policy
10 regarding certain period of prayer and reading;
10 requiring policy to contain certain provisions;
11 allowing certain employee or student to revoke
11 certain consent; requiring the Attorney General to
12 take certain actions upon request of certain board of
12 education or governing body; providing certain
13 construction; updating statutory reference; providing
13 an effective date; and declaring an emergency.
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16 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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17 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 11-101.1, is
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18 amended to read as follows:
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19 Section 11-101.1. A. The board of education of each public
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20 school district and the governing body of each public charter school
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21 shall permit those students and teachers employees who wish to do so
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22 to participate in voluntary prayer.
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23 B. The board of education of each public school district and
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24 the governing body of each public charter school shall adopt a
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1 policy requiring that students and employees be given an opportunity
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2 to participate in a period of prayer and reading of the Bible or
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3 other religious text during each school day. The policy adopted
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4 pursuant to this subsection:
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5 1. Shall contain the following statement: "It is the policy of
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6 (name of public school district or public charter school) that every
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7 student and employee be provided a period of prayer and reading of
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8 the Bible or other religious text.";
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9 2. Shall require, as a condition of participation in a period
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10 of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text, that an
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11 employee or the parent or legal guardian of a student submit to the
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12 school district or charter school a signed consent form that
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13 includes:
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14 a. an acknowledgment that the student or employee has a
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15 choice whether to participate,
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16 b. a statement that the employee or the parent or legal
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17 guardian of the student has no objection to the
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18 student participating in or hearing the prayers or
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19 readings offered during the period, and
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20 c. an express waiver of the right to bring a claim
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21 arising out of the adoption of a policy pursuant to
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22 the provisions of this section including a claim under
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23 the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the
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24 United States Constitution or related state or federal
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1 law. The waiver shall release the school district or
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2 charter school and its employees from liability for
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3 such claims brought in state or federal court;
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4 3. Shall prohibit the provision of a prayer or reading of the
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5 Bible or other religious text over a public address system;
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6 4. Shall specify that a period of prayer and reading of the
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7 Bible or other religious text may not be a substitute for
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8 instructional time;
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9 5. Shall include provisions ensuring a prayer or reading of the
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10 Bible or other religious text is not knowingly or intentionally
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11 provided in the physical presence of, within hearing of, or in
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12 another manner that would constitute an injury in fact within the
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13 meaning of the United States Constitution or the Oklahoma
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14 Constitution on a person for whom a signed consent form has not been
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15 submitted pursuant to paragraph 2 of subsection B of this section or
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16 has been revoked pursuant to subsection C of this section;
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17 6. May allow that the period of prayer and reading of the Bible
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18 or other religious text be provided before normal school hours or
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19 only in classrooms or other areas occupied by employees and students
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20 who have all submitted signed consent forms as provided by paragraph
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21 2 of this subsection; and
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22 7. May provide opportunities for voluntary participation in
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23 individual or group activities.
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1 C. A public school district or public charter school employee
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2 or the parent or legal guardian of a public school district or
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3 public charter school student may revoke the signed consent form
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4 provided pursuant to paragraph 2 of subsection B of this section at
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5 any time by providing written notification to the school district or
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6 charter school. A school district or charter school employee who
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7 has revoked a signed consent form or a student whose parent or legal
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8 guardian has revoked a signed consent form:
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9 1. Shall not participate in the period of prayer and reading of
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10 the Bible or other religious text; and
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11 2. Shall remain subject to the waiver provided by subparagraph
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12 c of paragraph 2 of subsection B of this section.
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13 D. Upon request from the board of education of a public school
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14 district or the governing body of a public charter school, the
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15 Attorney General shall:
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16 1. Provide advice on best methods for a school district or
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17 charter school to comply with the requirements of this section;
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18 2. Provide a model signed consent form that may be used to
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19 comply with the provisions of paragraph 2 of subsection B of this
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20 section; and
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21 3. Defend the school district or charter school in a cause of
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22 action arising out of the adoption of a policy required by this
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23 section. The state shall be liable for the expenses, costs,
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1 judgments, or settlements of claims arising pursuant to this
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2 section.
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3 E. The provisions of this section shall not prohibit a public
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4 school district or public charter school employee or student from
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5 participating in a period of prayer and reading of the Bible or
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6 other religious text during a time and place not designated by the
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7 policy adopted pursuant to this section.
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8 F. Nothing in this act shall be construed to be in conflict
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9 with Section 11-101 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title.
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10 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
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11 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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12 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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13 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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14 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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16 60-2-2559 EB 1/6/2026 12:24:35 PM
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Req. No. 2559 Page 5Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.