Career and technology education; directing the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education to establish certain pilot program beginning in certain school year. Effective date. Emergency.

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ENGROSSED SENATE
BILL NO. 1480 By: Seifried of the Senate

and

Caldwell (Trey) of the
House

An Act relating to career and technology education;
directing the Oklahoma Department of Career and
Technology Education to establish certain pilot
program beginning in certain school year; directing
the Department to designate two technology center
school districts to coordinate with public school
districts; directing certain technology center school
districts to designate employees to serve as
apprenticeship coordinators; providing duties of
coordinators; allowing certain students to
participate in apprenticeship opportunities and be
paid for work; directing certain participants to
indemnify and hold harmless certain participating
employers; providing exceptions; requiring execution
of certain agreement on a form prescribed by the
Department; requiring electronic submission of
certain report by certain date; providing for
contents of report; providing for codification;
providing an effective date; and declaring an
emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 14-127A of Title 70, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, the Oklahoma
Department of Career and Technology Education shall establish a two-

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year apprenticeship pilot program to encourage participation in
youth apprenticeship programs.
B. The Department shall designate two technology center school
districts to coordinate with public school districts in this state
to make apprenticeship opportunities available to students.
C. A technology center school district designated to
participate in the pilot program created pursuant to this section
shall designate a district employee to serve as an apprenticeship
coordinator. The duties of an apprenticeship coordinator shall
include, but not be limited to:
1. Building relationships with employers in the area served by
the technology center school district to maximize availability of
apprenticeship opportunities;
2. Facilitating high school student participation in
apprenticeship opportunities; and
3. Coordinating with public school districts participating in
the pilot program.
D. Students who are age sixteen (16) and older and enrolled in
a public school district participating in the pilot program may
participate in an apprenticeship opportunity and may be paid for
work conducted as part of an apprenticeship opportunity.
E. 1. Public school districts and students that participate in
an apprenticeship opportunity pursuant to this section shall agree
to indemnify and hold harmless employers offering the apprenticeship

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opportunity from claims arising from student participation except in
cases of gross negligence, willful misconduct, or a clear violation
of law.
2. Public school districts and students who are age eighteen
(18) and older or the parents or legal guardians of students who are
under the age of eighteen (18) shall execute an apprenticeship
participation agreement that indemnifies participating employers
from claims arising from student participation in an approved
apprenticeship opportunity. The Oklahoma Department of Career and
Technology Education shall prescribe the apprenticeship
participation agreement form required by this subsection.
F. The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education
shall electronically submit a report to the Governor, the President
Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives by December 1, 2028, that includes an evaluation of
the pilot program by participating public school districts and
technology center school districts, data on whether the pilot
program had an impact on increasing student participation in
apprenticeship opportunities, and recommendations for continuation
of the program.
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

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declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
Passed the Senate the 11th day of March, 2026.

Presiding Officer of the Senate

Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________,
2026.

Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives