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 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
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3 SENATE BILL 408 By: Boren
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to higher education; defining term;
7 prohibiting certain institutions from taking certain
8 actions due to a student's pregnancy; requiring an
8 institution to make reasonable accommodations for
9 pregnant students; providing for reasonable
9 accommodations; providing for certain leave of
10 absence to prepare for and take certain examinations;
10 providing for certain leave of absence extension;
11 requiring an enrolled student who takes certain leave
11 of absence to return to certain program after certain
12 period of time; providing exemption; directing
12 certain consideration; directing certain office to
13 investigate complaints and facilitate forwarding of
13 certain complaints; requiring institutions to have
14 certain written policies and procedures; requiring a
14 copy of policies and procedures to be made available
15 to faculty, staff, employees, and students; providing
15 for codification; providing an effective date; and
16 declaring an emergency.
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1 9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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20 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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2 1 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3251 of Title 70, unless there
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2 2 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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23 A. As used in this section, "institution" means:
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1 1. An institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher
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2 Education; or
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3 2. A private institution of higher learning located within this
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4 state and accredited pursuant to Section 4103 of Title 70 of the
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5 Oklahoma Statutes that receives awards pursuant to Section 2604 of
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6 Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, Oklahoma Tuition Equalization
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7 Grants pursuant to Section 2632 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma
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8 Statutes, or other scholarships or tuition aid funded with state
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9 appropriations.
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10 B. An institution, including the faculty, staff, or other
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1 1 employees of the institution, shall not require an enrolled student
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1 2 to take a leave of absence, withdraw from a program, or limit her
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1 3 studies solely due to pregnancy. An institution, including the
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1 4 faculty, staff, or other employees of the institution, shall
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1 5 reasonably accommodate pregnant students so they may complete their
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1 6 courses of study and research. Reasonable accommodation within the
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1 7 meaning of this subsection may include, but is not limited to:
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18 1. Allowances for the pregnant student's health and safety,
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1 9 such as allowing the student to maintain a safe distance from
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2 0 hazardous substances;
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21 2. Allowing the student to make up tests and assignments that
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2 2 are missed for pregnancy-related reasons; or
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Req. No. 1091 Page 2
1 3. Allowing a student to take a leave of absence. Reasonable
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2 accommodations shall include the excusing of absences that are
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3 medically necessary consistent with the laws of this state.
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4 C. An enrolled student who chooses to take a leave of absence
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5 because she is pregnant or has recently given birth shall be allowed
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6 a period consistent with the policies of the institution, or a
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7 period of six (6) additional months, whichever is longer, to prepare
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8 for and take preliminary and qualifying examinations and an
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9 extension of at least six (6) months toward completing the degree,
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1 0 or while in candidacy for a degree, unless a longer extension is
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1 1 medically necessary.
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12 D. An enrolled student who chooses to take a leave of absence
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1 3 because she is pregnant or has recently given birth shall return to
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1 4 her program following a leave period of up to one academic semester,
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1 5 unless there is a medical reason for a longer absence, in which case
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1 6 her standing in the program shall be maintained during that period
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1 7 of absence.
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18 E. The institution shall consider the student's requests for
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1 9 housing accommodation due to her pregnancy.
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20 F. The Office of Civil Rights Enforcement within the Office of
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2 1 the Attorney General shall investigate complaints from students
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2 2 alleging pregnancy discrimination in violation of this act. The
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2 3 Office of Civil Rights Enforcement within the Office of the Attorney
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2 4 General shall facilitate the forwarding of complaints to the U.S.
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Req. No. 1091 Page 3
1 Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights to investigate the
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2 institution's compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments
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3 of 1972, 20 U.S.C., Section 1681 et seq.
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4 G. Each institution shall have a written policy for enrolled
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5 students on pregnancy discrimination and procedures for addressing
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6 pregnancy discrimination complaints under Title IX or this section.
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7 A copy of this policy shall be made available to faculty, staff, and
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8 employees in their required training. The policy shall be included
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9 in the student handbook and the institution's policies and
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1 0 procedures and made available to all students attending the
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1 1 institution.
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12 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
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13 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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1 4 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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1 5 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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1 6 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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18 60-1-1091 EB 1/14/2025 3:51:05 PM
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Req. No. 1091 Page 4Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.