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 1480 By: Seifried
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to schools; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
7 Section 14-127, which relates to youth apprenticeship
8 programs; requiring technology center school
8 districts to designate apprenticeship coordinators;
9 providing duties of coordinators; amending 70 O.S.
9 2021, Section 1210.528-1, which relates to the
10 Apprenticeships, Internships and Mentorships (AIM)
10 Act of 2016; directing certain governing bodies to
11 collaborate with apprenticeship coordinators;
11 updating statutory language; updating statutory
12 reference; providing an effective date; and declaring
12 an emergency.
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15 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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16 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 14-127, is
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17 amended to read as follows:
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18 Section 14-127. A. The Oklahoma Legislature, recognizing the
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19 need for improved methods of helping secondary students make a
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20 smooth transition from high school to the workplace, hereby
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21 establishes guidelines for youth apprenticeship programs.
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22 B. Youth apprenticeship programs shall be defined as learning
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23 programs for young people students enrolled in vocational education
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24 technology center school programs that combine on-the-job learning
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1 with classroom instruction, that offer a bridge between secondary
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2 and post high school training and education, and that result in
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3 certification of mastery of work skills.
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4 C. Youth apprenticeship programs shall be administered and
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5 supervised by the State Board of Career and Technology Education,
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6 which shall also establish standards for program operation.
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7 D. To encourage participation in youth apprenticeship programs,
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8 each technology center school district shall designate an
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9 apprenticeship coordinator. The duties of an apprenticeship
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10 coordinator shall include, but not be limited to:
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11 1. Building relationships with employers in the area served by
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12 the technology center school district to maximize availability of
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13 apprenticeship opportunities;
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14 2. Facilitating student participation in apprenticeship
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15 opportunities; and
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16 3. Coordinating with public school districts and public charter
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17 schools served by the technology center school district that have
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18 established opportunities for apprenticeships, internships, or
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19 mentorships pursuant to the Apprenticeships, Internships and
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20 Mentorships (AIM) Act of 2016.
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21 E. Notwithstanding any other section of law, youth
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22 apprenticeship programs shall not mean any traditional
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23 apprenticeship program registered by the Bureau of Apprenticeship
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1 and Training, Office of Apprenticeship within the United States
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2 Department of Labor.
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3 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.528-1,
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4 is amended to read as follows:
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5 Section 1210.528-1. A. Beginning with the 2017-2018 school
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6 year, the governing body of each public, private, magnet, charter,
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7 or virtual charter school in this state (the school) is authorized
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8 to enter into an agreement with private or public organizations for
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9 the purpose of creating apprenticeship, internship, and mentorship
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10 programs. Apprenticeships, internships, and mentorships may be
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11 available to high school sophomores age sixteen (16) or older,
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12 juniors, and seniors as permitted by each school. The
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13 apprenticeship, internship, or mentorship may fill the requirement
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14 of elective courses as the student's schedule permits. A student
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15 may not use the apprenticeship, internship, or mentorship to replace
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16 any other state education requirement, except as provided for in
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17 subsection D E of this section.
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18 B. The governing body of each school shall have the authority
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19 to adopt policies regarding the creation of apprenticeships,
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20 internships, and mentorships that include the registration and
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21 qualifications for private or public organizations to participate in
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22 the apprenticeship, internship, or mentorship program.
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23 C. 1. The governing body of each school may obtain liability
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24 insurance coverage to protect a student who participates in an
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1 apprenticeship, internship, or mentorship program authorized by this
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2 section. The coverage authorized by this subsection shall be
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3 obtained from a reliable insurer authorized to do business in this
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4 state and shall not exceed the amount that is deemed reasonably
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5 necessary in the opinion of the governing body of each school.
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6 2. The governing body of a school may not directly or
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7 indirectly charge a student or the student's parent or legal
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8 guardian for the cost of providing insurance coverage pursuant to
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9 this subsection.
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10 3. The failure of a governing body to obtain insurance coverage
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11 authorized by this subsection or to obtain a specific amount of
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12 coverage may not be construed as placing any legal liability on the
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13 governing body of the school.
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14 D. The governing body of a school that establishes an
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15 apprenticeship, internship, and mentorship program and is served by
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16 a technology center school district shall collaborate with the
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17 apprenticeship coordinator designated pursuant to Section 14-127 of
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18 this title to facilitate student participation in apprenticeship,
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19 internship, and mentorship opportunities.
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20 E. The State Board of Education may develop rules to determine
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21 if apprenticeships, internships, and mentorships established
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22 pursuant to this section are eligible for academic credit toward
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23 meeting the graduation requirements set forth in Section 11-103.6 of
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24 this title.
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1 SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
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2 SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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3 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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4 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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5 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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Req. No. 2864 Page 5Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.