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 591 By: Deevers
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to education; creating the Free to
7 Speak Act; providing short title; defining terms;
8 prohibiting public school and certain institution of
8 higher learning employees from addressing certain
9 students in certain manner and being subject to
9 certain adverse actions; prohibiting public school
10 and certain institution of higher learning students
10 from being subject to disciplinary actions for
11 declining to take certain actions; creating a cause
11 of action; requiring a cause of action to be brought
12 within certain time period; providing for
12 codification; providing an effective date; and
13 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. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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18 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 24-162 of Title 70, unless there
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19 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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20 A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Free to
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21 Speak Act".
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22 B. As used in this section:
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23 1. "Employee" means an individual employed or contracted by a
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24 public school or state institution of higher learning;
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Req. No. 1330 Page 1
1 2. "Female" means an individual who naturally has, had, will
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2 have, or would have but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or
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3 historic accident the reproductive system that at some point
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4 produces, transports, and utilizes eggs for fertilization;
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5 3. "Male" means an individual who naturally has, had, will
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6 have, or would have but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or
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7 historic accident the reproductive system that at some point
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8 produces, transports, and utilizes sperm for fertilization;
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9 4. "Public school" means a public school district in this
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10 state, a public charter school established pursuant to the Oklahoma
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11 Charter Schools Act, and a technology center school district under
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12 the governance of the State Board of Career and Technology
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13 Education. Public school shall not include private schools or home
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14 schools;
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15 5. "Sex" means the physical condition of being male or female
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16 based on genetics and physiology, as identified on an individual's
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17 original birth certificate;
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18 6. "State institution of higher learning" means an institution
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19 of higher education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher
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20 Education; and
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21 7. "Student" means an individual who is enrolled in a public
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22 school or a state institution of higher learning.
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23 C. An employee of a public school or institution of higher
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24 learning, regardless of the scope of his or her official duties:
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Req. No. 1330 Page 2
1 1. Shall not knowingly and intentionally address an
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2 unemancipated minor student by a name other than the student's legal
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3 name, or a derivative thereof, or by a pronoun or title that is
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4 inconsistent with the student's sex without the written permission
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5 of a student's parent or legal guardian;
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6 2. Shall not be subject to adverse employment action for
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7 declining to address a person using a name other than the person's
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8 legal name, or a derivative thereof, or by a pronoun or title that
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9 is inconsistent with the person's sex; and
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10 3. Shall not be subject to adverse employment action for
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11 declining to identify his or her pronouns.
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12 D. A student enrolled in a public school or state institution
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13 of higher learning shall not be subject to any disciplinary action
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14 for declining to:
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15 1. Address a person using a name other than the person's legal
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16 name, or a derivative thereof, or by a pronoun or title that is
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17 inconsistent with the person's sex; and
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18 2. Identify his or her pronouns.
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19 E. An employee or student who suffers any direct or indirect
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20 harm as a result of a violation of this act shall have a cause of
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21 action for injunctive relief, monetary damages, reasonable attorney
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22 fees and costs, and any other appropriate relief against a public
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23 school or a state institution of higher learning. A cause of action
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Req. No. 1330 Page 3
1 brought pursuant to this subsection shall be initiated within two
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2 (2) years of the violation.
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3 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
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4 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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5 of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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6 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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7 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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9 60-1-1330 EB 1/19/2025 5:39:29 AM
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Req. No. 1330 Page 4Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.