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 799 By: Pederson
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to students; amending Section 1,
7 Chapter 297, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section
8 6-401), which relates to electronic or digital
8 communications between students and school personnel;
9 providing for inclusion of alternate adult in
9 communications with certain students; providing
10 exceptions; updating statutory reference; providing
10 an effective date; and declaring an emergency.
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13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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14 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY Section 1, Chapter 297, O.S.L.
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15 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 6-401), is amended to read as
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16 follows:
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17 Section 6-401. A. As used in this section:
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18 1. "Electronic or digital communication" includes, but is not
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19 limited to, emails, text messages, instant messages, direct
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20 messages, social media messages, messages sent through software
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21 applications, and any other electronic digital means of
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22 communication; and
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1 2. "School personnel" means teachers, coaches, administrators,
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2 school bus drivers, or any other persons employed full-time or part-
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3 time by a public school or charter school.
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4 B. 1. School personnel engaging in electronic or digital
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5 communication with an individual student shall include the student's
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6 parent or, guardian, or alternate adult provided for in paragraph 2
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7 of this subsection in any electronic or digital communication,
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8 unless such communication is on a school-approved platform and
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9 related to school and academic communications.
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10 2. Students who are known to be homeless children and youth as
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11 defined in Section 600 of Title 10 of the Oklahoma Statutes shall,
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12 in lieu of a parent or guardian, have an alternate adult included in
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13 the electronic or digital communication. The alternate adult shall
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14 be:
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15 a. a school administrator,
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16 b. the McKinney-Vento homeless liaison of a public
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17 school, or
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18 c. a case manager employed by a homeless shelter,
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19 transitional living program, or a continuum of care
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20 lead agency.
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21 C. Exceptions to the requirement in subsection B of this
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22 section may be made in case of an emergency, subject to subsequent
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23 notification to the parent or, guardian, or alternate adult provided
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1 for in paragraph 2 of subsection B of this section. The provisions
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2 of subsection B of this section shall not apply to:
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3 1. Communications between a student and school personnel who
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4 have a familial relationship with the student; and
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5 2. Communications between a student and school personnel that
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6 are outside the scope of the school personnel's employment.
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7 D. School personnel shall make reasonable efforts to use
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8 school-approved platforms, systems, or applications that allow
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9 automatic inclusion of parents or, guardians, or alternate adults
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10 provided for in paragraph 2 of subsection B of this section in
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11 communications with students.
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12 D. E. Schools shall provide training, developed by the State
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13 Department of Education, for school personnel on the student
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14 communication requirements of this section.
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15 E. F. Any school personnel who is reported to be in violation
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16 of subsection B of this section shall be put on administrative leave
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17 while the school district investigates the incident and notifies the
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18 board of education. If the investigation finds that no misconduct
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19 occurred, the school personnel shall be reinstated and the incident
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20 shall be noted in the school personnel's employee file. If the
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21 investigation finds misconduct occurred, the school personnel shall
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22 be disciplined according to the school district board of education's
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23 policy, up to and including termination of employment, and the
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Req. No. 6 Page 3
1 incident shall be reported to law enforcement pursuant to Section
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2 1210.163 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title.
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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 60-1-6 EB 1/19/2025 5:43:32 AM
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Req. No. 6 Page 4Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.