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An Act
ENROLLED HOUSE
BILL NO. 1937 By: Kannady and Lowe of the
House
and
Howard of the Senate
An Act relating to schools; amending Section 1,
Chapter 297, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section
6-401), which relates to student communication;
defining term; requiring a corroborated report in
order to place school personnel on administrative
leave during an investigation; removing requirement
that incidents be noted in employee files; providing
for reinstatement under certain circumstances;
requiring inclusion of finding in employee file;
providing an effective date; and declaring an
emergency.
SUBJECT: Schools
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY Section 1, Chapter 297, O.S.L.
2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 6-401), is amended to read as
follows:
Section 6-401. A. As used in this section:
1. "Electronic or digital communication" includes, but is not
limited to, emails, text messages, instant messages, direct
messages, social media messages, messages sent through software
applications, and any other electronic or digital means of
communication; and
ENR. H. B. NO. 1937 Page 2
2. "School personnel" means teachers, coaches, administrators,
school bus drivers, or any other persons employed full-time or part-
time by a public school or charter school; and
3. "Student" means a person enrolled in a public school or
charter school in this state receiving primary or secondary
education to obtain a standard high school diploma or high school
equivalency diploma. Student does not mean a person who holds a
standard high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma.
B. School personnel engaging in electronic or digital
communication with an individual student shall include the student's
parent or legal guardian in any electronic or digital communication,
unless such communication is on a school-approved platform and
related to school and academic communications.
C. Exceptions to the requirement in subsection B of this
section may be made in case of an emergency as determined by the
local school board, subject to subsequent notification to the parent
or legal guardian. School personnel shall make reasonable efforts
to use school-approved platforms, systems, or applications that
allow automatic inclusion of parents or legal guardians in
communications with students.
D. Schools shall provide training, developed by the State
Department of Education, for school personnel on the student
communication requirements of this section.
E. Any school personnel who is reported to be the subject of a
corroborated report of being in violation of subsection B of this
section shall be put on administrative leave while the school
district investigates the incident and notifies the board of
education. If the investigation finds that no misconduct occurred,
the school personnel shall be reinstated and the incident shall not
be noted in the school personnel's employee file. If the school
personnel was placed on administrative leave during the
investigation of the incident but the investigation finds that no
misconduct occurred, the school personnel shall be reinstated and
the school personnel's employee file shall include a note of the
finding of no misconduct. If the investigation finds misconduct
occurred, the school personnel shall be disciplined according to the
school district board of education's policy, up to and including
termination of employment, and the incident shall be reported to law
ENR. H. B. NO. 1937 Page 3
enforcement pursuant to Section 1210.163 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma
Statutes this title.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
ENR. H. B. NO. 1937 Page 4
Passed the House of Representatives the 10th day of March, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the 5th day of May, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________