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
1
2 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
2
3 SENATE BILL 412 By: Jett
3
4
4
5
5
6 AS INTRODUCED
6
7 An Act relating to school district boards of
7 education; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 5-110,
8 which relates to instruction for board of education
8 members; removing outdated language; removing
9 language requiring certain member to agree in writing
9 to education requirements; allowing rather than
10 requiring certain instruction; changing time period
10 in which member may complete certain training;
11 reducing number of hours of instruction; removing
11 requirement for training in certain topics; removing
12 ability for certain type of organization to offer
12 certain training; removing education requirements for
13 certain incumbent board members; directing board
13 members to represent certain interests; removing
14 language regarding penalties for failing to complete
14 certain instruction; allowing a board member's
15 district to be charged for certain attendance upon
15 completion; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 5-110.2,
16 which relates to attendance records of school board
16 members; directing school districts to maintain
17 records rather than the State Board of Education;
17 requiring records to be posted on certain website;
18 removing language regarding certain notification;
18 repealing 70 O.S. 2021, Section 5-110.1, which
19 relates to continuing education requirements for
19 board members; providing an effective date; and
20 declaring an emergency.
20
21
21
2 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
22
23 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 5-110, is
23
2 4 amended to read as follows:
24
Req. No. 1389 Page 1
1 Section 5-110. A. A school district elector who is elected or
1
2 appointed to be a member of a school district board of education
2
3 prior to January 1, 2014, shall obtain instruction on education
3
4 issues in accordance with rules promulgated by the State Board of
4
5 Education. Except as provided in subsection B of this section, at
5
6 the time a school district elector files a notification and
6
7 declaration of candidacy for the office of school district board of
7
8 education membership or is appointed to be a member of a school
8
9 district board of education on or after January 1, 2014, the elector
9
1 0 shall agree and pledge in writing that, within fifteen (15) Within
10
1 1 six (6) months of election or appointment as a member of the
11
1 2 district board of education, the member will may complete at least
12
1 3 twelve (12) three (3) hours of instruction on education issues in
13
1 4 the following areas: school finance; legal issues, which include
14
1 5 but are not limited to employment, due process, new laws, the
15
1 6 Oklahoma Open Records Act and the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act; and
16
1 7 duties and responsibilities, which include but are not limited to
17
1 8 special education and ethics, of district board of education
18
1 9 members. Each elector shall agree and pledge in writing to complete
19
2 0 at least one (1) hour of instruction in school finance, one (1) hour
20
2 1 of instruction in the Oklahoma Open Records Act and the Oklahoma
21
2 2 Open Meeting Act, and one (1) hour of instruction in school law and
22
2 3 ethics. The remaining hours may be satisfied by attending a two-day
23
2 4 workshop to be held within the state Training shall be provided by
24
Req. No. 1389 Page 2
1 the State Department of Education, by and/or the Oklahoma Department
1
2 of Career and Technology Education, or by attending workshops,
2
3 seminars or classes which address the above-mentioned subject
3
4 matter, and which are sponsored by any organization approved by the
4
5 State Board of Education, including but not limited to institutions
5
6 of higher education. The State Board of Education shall promulgate
6
7 rules by which an organization or particular courses offered by an
7
8 organization may be approved for purposes of fulfilling the
8
9 instructional requirements set out in this section.
9
10 B. When an incumbent of a district board of education files a
10
1 1 notification and declaration of candidacy for reelection to the
11
1 2 district board of education, the member shall be required to agree
12
1 3 and pledge in writing that upon reelection the member will complete
13
1 4 six (6) hours of instruction, within fifteen (15) months of
14
1 5 election, including one (1) hour of instruction in school finance,
15
1 6 one (1) hour of instruction in the Oklahoma Open Records Act and the
16
1 7 Oklahoma Open Meeting Act and one (1) hour of instruction in ethics.
17
1 8 The remaining hours may be satisfied by attending a workshop, class
18
1 9 or seminar addressing the education issues set forth in subsection A
19
2 0 of this section. Each elected or appointed school district board of
20
2 1 education member shall represent the interests of his or her
21
2 2 constituents and hold the school district superintendent to the
22
2 3 same.
23
24
24
Req. No. 1389 Page 3
1 C. The State Department of Education shall, immediately after
1
2 the annual elections of various district board of education members,
2
3 determine the members of the district boards of education pledged to
3
4 complete the instructional requirements established in subsections A
4
5 and B of this section, and shall notify the members of the time and
5
6 place where training workshops, classes, and seminars are to be
6
7 conducted. Upon completion of the instructional requirements, the
7
8 certificate of completion shall be included in the public records of
8
9 the school board's minutes. Each school board member, except for an
9
1 0 incumbent member, shall be required within fifteen (15) months
10
1 1 following or preceding election to complete the workshop established
11
1 2 by subsection A of this section or to attend twelve (12) hours of
12
1 3 other state workshops, classes or seminars conducted as instruction
13
1 4 on the subjects of school finance, legal issues, and the ethics,
14
1 5 duties and responsibilities of district board of education members,
15
1 6 including at least one (1) hour of instruction in school finance,
16
1 7 one (1) hour of instruction in the Oklahoma Open Records Act and the
17
1 8 Oklahoma Open Meeting Act and one (1) hour of instruction in ethics.
18
19 D. If a school board member, including an incumbent member, has
19
2 0 not satisfied the instructional requirements as set forth in this
20
2 1 section within fifteen (15) months of election, reelection or
21
2 2 appointment, the district board of education shall declare the seat
22
2 3 of the member vacant within sixty (60) days of the final date that
23
2 4 the member has to complete the requirements as indicated by receipt
24
Req. No. 1389 Page 4
1 of the certified notice from the State Board of Education as
1
2 provided for pursuant to Section 5-110.2 of this title and shall
2
3 fill the vacancy according to law. A school board member who is
3
4 required to vacate a school board seat pursuant to this subsection
4
5 and Section 5-110.2 of this title shall be ineligible to be
5
6 reappointed to, to run for reelection to or to hold that respective
6
7 board seat on the school district board of education or to run for
7
8 election to or to hold any other board seat on the board of
8
9 education for a two-year period.
9
10 E. D. All government departments, agencies, and institutions of
10
1 1 this state are directed to lend assistance as may be required by the
11
1 2 State Department of Education for the proper conduct and
12
1 3 administration of the workshops as authorized in subsection A of
13
1 4 this section. The State Department of Education shall maintain a
14
1 5 permanent record of the instructional hours and continuing education
15
1 6 hours earned for each district board of education member.
16
17 F. E. The State Department of Education, and/or the Oklahoma
17
1 8 Department of Career and Technology Education, and, upon approval of
18
1 9 the State Board of Education, any organization or association
19
2 0 representing district boards of education in this state are
20
2 1 authorized to charge persons pledged to attend the school board
21
2 2 member's district for attendance at a workshop, class, or seminar
22
2 3 for purposes of meeting the instructional requirements components of
23
2 4 this section, a registration fee sufficient to defray the estimated
24
Req. No. 1389 Page 5
1 costs of presenting the workshop, class, or seminar and to collect
1
2 the fees at the time of registration completion of the workshop,
2
3 class, or seminar.
3
4 G. F. Any member of a district board of education or any
4
5 individual elected, certified as the elected member by the county
5
6 election board, but not sworn in and seated as a member of a
6
7 district board of education at the time of a workshop, class, or
7
8 seminar presented by the State Board Department of Education, and/or
8
9 the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, or an
9
1 0 organization or association representing district boards of
10
1 1 education within the state who attends and successfully completes a
11
1 2 workshop, class, or seminar as required by pursuant to subsection A
12
1 3 or B of this section shall be reimbursed by the school district in
13
1 4 accordance with the travel reimbursement policy of the district.
14
15 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 5-110.2, is
15
1 6 amended to read as follows:
16
17 Section 5-110.2. The State Board of Education Each school
17
1 8 district shall maintain and post on its website records of
18
1 9 attendance by school board members at continuing education events
19
2 0 required pursuant to Sections the three (3) hours of training
20
2 1 described by subsection A of Section 5-110 and 5-110.1 of this
21
2 2 title. Prior to the final opportunity for each school board member
22
2 3 who has not completed the continuing education requirements to
23
2 4 complete the same, the Board shall notify the school board member
24
Req. No. 1389 Page 6
1 and the school district superintendent by mail before March 1 of
1
2 each year of any final opportunity to complete these requirements
2
3 and the consequences of not completing the requirements. Upon
3
4 determining that a school board member did not complete the
4
5 continuing education requirements of Sections 5-110 or 5-110.1
5
6 within the respective period of time, the Board shall immediately
6
7 notify by certified mail the school board member and the school
7
8 district superintendent and inform the member of the violation of
8
9 the continuing education requirements. The school board member
9
1 0 shall have sixty (60) days after the date of receipt of the
10
1 1 certified notice to complete the requirements. If the school board
11
1 2 member does not complete the requirements by the end of the sixty-
12
1 3 day time period, the school district board of education is required
13
1 4 to declare the seat of that member vacant.
14
15 SECTION 3. REPEALER 70 O.S. 2021, Section 5-110.1, is
15
1 6 hereby repealed.
16
17 SECTION 4. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
17
18 SECTION 5. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
18
1 9 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
19
2 0 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
20
2 1 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
21
22
22
23 60-1-1389 EB 1/14/2025 3:51:09 PM
23
24
24
Req. No. 1389 Page 7Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.