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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
HOUSE BILL 3656 By: Tedford
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to hazing; amending 10A O.S. 2021,
Section 1-2-101, as amended by Section 344, Chapter
486, O.S.L. 2025 (10A O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 1-2-
101), which relates to mandatory reporting of child
abuse or neglect; establishing reporting requirements
for hazing incidents; defining term; and providing an
effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 10A O.S. 2021, Section 1-2-101, as
amended by Section 344, Chapter 486, O.S.L. 2025 (10A O.S. Supp.
2025, Section 1-2-101), is amended to read as follows:
Section 1-2-101. A. 1. The Department of Human Services shall
establish a statewide centralized hotline for the reporting of child
abuse or, neglect, or hazing to the Department.
2. The Department shall provide hotline-specific training
including, but not limited to, interviewing skills, customer service
skills, narrative writing, necessary computer systems, making case
determinations, and identifying priority situations.
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3. The Department is authorized to contract with third parties
in order to train hotline workers.
4. The Department shall develop a system to track the number of
calls received, and of that number:
a. the number of calls screened out,
b. the number of referrals assigned,
c. the number of calls received by persons unwilling to
disclose basic personal information including, but not
limited to, first and last name, and
d. the number of calls in which the allegations were
later found to be unsubstantiated or ruled out.
5. The Department shall electronically record each referral
received by the hotline and establish a secure means of retaining
the recordings for twelve (12) months. The recordings shall be
confidential and subject to disclosure only if a court orders the
disclosure of the referral. The Department shall redact any
information identifying the reporting party unless otherwise ordered
by the court.
B. 1. Every person having reason to believe that a child under
the age of eighteen (18) years is a victim of abuse or, neglect, or
hazing shall report the matter immediately to the Department of
Human Services. Reports shall be made to the hotline provided for
in subsection A of this section. Any allegation of abuse or,
neglect, or hazing reported in any manner to a county office shall
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immediately be referred to the hotline by the Department. Provided,
however, that in actions for custody by abandonment, provided for in
Section 2-117 of Title 30 of the Oklahoma Statutes, there shall be
no reporting requirement.
2. a. Every school employee having reason to believe that a
student under the age of eighteen (18) years is a
victim of abuse or, neglect, or hazing shall report
the matter immediately to the Department of Human
Services and local law enforcement. Reports to the
Department shall be made to the hotline provided for
in subsection A of this section. Any allegation of
abuse or, neglect, or hazing reported in any manner to
a county office shall immediately be referred to the
hotline by the Department. Provided, however, that in
actions for custody by abandonment, provided for in
Section 2-117 of Title 30 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
there shall be no reporting requirement.
b. Every school employee having reason to believe that a
student age eighteen (18) years or older is a victim
of abuse or, neglect, or hazing shall report the
matter immediately to local law enforcement.
c. In reports required by subparagraph a or b of this
paragraph, local law enforcement shall keep
confidential and redact any information identifying
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the reporting school employee unless otherwise ordered
by the court. A school employee with knowledge of a
report required by subparagraph a or b of this
paragraph shall not disclose information identifying
the reporting school employee unless otherwise ordered
by the court or as part of an investigation by local
law enforcement or the Department.
3. Every physician, surgeon, or other health care professional
including doctors of medicine, licensed osteopathic physicians,
residents and interns, or any other health care professional or
midwife involved in the prenatal care of expectant mothers or the
delivery or care of infants shall promptly report to the Department
instances in which an infant tests positive for alcohol or a
controlled dangerous substance. This shall include infants who are
diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome or Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorder.
4. No privilege or contract shall relieve any person from the
requirement of reporting pursuant to this section.
5. The reporting obligations under this section are individual,
and no employer, supervisor, administrator, governing body or entity
shall interfere with the reporting obligations of any employee or
other person or in any manner discriminate or retaliate against the
employee or other person who in good faith reports suspected child
abuse or, neglect, or hazing, or who provides testimony in any
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proceeding involving child abuse or, neglect, or hazing. Any
employer, supervisor, administrator, governing body or entity who
discharges, discriminates or retaliates against the employee or
other person shall be liable for damages, costs and attorney fees.
If a child who is the subject of the report or other child is harmed
by the discharge, discrimination or retaliation described in this
paragraph, the party harmed may file an action to recover damages,
costs and attorney fees.
6. Every physician, surgeon, other health care professional or
midwife making a report of abuse or, neglect, or hazing as required
by this subsection or examining a child to determine the likelihood
of abuse or, neglect, or hazing and every hospital or related
institution in which the child was examined or treated shall
provide, upon request, copies of the results of the examination or
copies of the examination on which the report was based and any
other clinical notes, x-rays, photographs, and other previous or
current records relevant to the case to law enforcement officers
conducting a criminal investigation into the case and to employees
of the Department of Human Services conducting an investigation of
alleged abuse or, neglect, or hazing in the case.
C. Any person who knowingly and willfully fails to promptly
report suspected child abuse or, neglect, or hazing or who
interferes with the prompt reporting of suspected child abuse or,
neglect, or hazing may be reported to local law enforcement for
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criminal investigation and, upon conviction thereof, shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor. Any person with prolonged knowledge of ongoing
child abuse or, neglect, or hazing who knowingly and willfully fails
to promptly report such knowledge may be reported to local law
enforcement for criminal investigation and, upon conviction thereof,
shall be guilty of a Class D1 felony offense and shall be punished
by imprisonment as provided for in subsections B through F of
Section 20N of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes. For the purposes
of this paragraph, "prolonged knowledge" shall mean knowledge of at
least six (6) months of child abuse or, neglect, or hazing.
D. 1. Any person who knowingly and willfully makes a false
report pursuant to the provisions of this section or a report that
the person knows lacks factual foundation may be reported to local
law enforcement for criminal investigation and, upon conviction
thereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
2. If a court determines that an accusation of child abuse or
neglect made during a child custody proceeding is false and the
person making the accusation knew it to be false at the time the
accusation was made, the court may impose a fine, not to exceed Five
Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) and reasonable attorney fees incurred
in recovering the sanctions, against the person making the
accusation. The remedy provided by this paragraph is in addition to
paragraph 1 of this subsection or to any other remedy provided by
law.
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E. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to
exempt or prohibit any person from reporting any suspected child
abuse or, neglect, or hazing pursuant to subsection B of this
section.
F. As used in this section, "hazing" shall have the same
meaning as such term is defined in Section 1190 of Title 21 of the
Oklahoma Statutes.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
60-2-15279 GRS 01/11/26