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An Act
ENROLLED SENATE
BILL NO. 1733 By: Thompson and Hamilton of
the Senate
and
Lawson and Bashore of the
House
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 communications;
requiring immediate notification to law enforcement
of certain violations; updating statutory language;
requiring public and private school employees to
report certain disclosure, allegation, or information
to law enforcement within certain time period;
clarifying term; requiring certain officer to submit
certain report under certain circumstances; requiring
certain report to law enforcement prior to certain
formal investigation or questioning; prohibiting
school personnel from taking certain actions until
law enforcement has been notified; providing
exception; requiring certain information to be kept
confidential or redacted; requiring public and
private school employees to annually sign certain
attestation; providing certain construction;
providing for codification; 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:
ENR. S. B. NO. 1733 Page 2
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 digital means of
communication; and
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.
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, 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 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 be noted in the school personnel’s employee file. 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 enforcement pursuant to Section
1210.163 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title.
ENR. S. B. NO. 1733 Page 3
F. A school district or charter school shall immediately notify
law enforcement of any violation of subsection B of this section
involving sexual activity, sexual contact, or any other
inappropriate or unlawful behavior pursuant to Section 1210.163 of
this title.
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1210.164 of Title 70, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. 1. In addition to any report required pursuant to Section
1210.163 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, every public and
private school employee having reason to believe, or receiving an
allegation or disclosure, that a student is the victim of sexual
abuse, sexual assault, or sexual misconduct, shall report the
disclosure, allegation, or information within twenty-four (24) hours
to local law enforcement.
2. For the purposes of this section, local law enforcement
means a law enforcement agency that is independent of the public
school district or private school, or a campus police department
thereof, and shall not include a school resource officer employed by
the public school district or private school unless directed by the
independent law enforcement agency. When a school resource officer
is utilized pursuant to this subsection, the officer shall submit a
written report describing the circumstances and any actions taken to
the independent law enforcement agency.
B. 1. Any disclosure or allegation made pursuant to this
section shall be reported to law enforcement prior to any formal
investigation by the public school district or its board of
education or the private school or its governing body or questioning
of the subject of the disclosure or allegation.
2. No school investigator, administrator, or official shall
conduct formal interviews of the subject of the disclosure or
allegation or engage in disciplinary proceedings until law
enforcement has been notified and has had the opportunity to
interview the involved parties, unless law enforcement determines
that an immediate school response is necessary to protect student
safety.
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C. In reports required by subsection A of this section, local
law enforcement shall keep confidential and redact any information
identifying the reporting school employee unless otherwise ordered
by the court. A school employee with knowledge of a report required
by subsection A of this section 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 State Department of Education.
D. In addition to the attestation required by Section 1210.163
of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, every public and private
school employee shall annually sign an attestation acknowledging his
or her responsibility to report suspected child abuse or neglect
pursuant to this section. Failure to sign an attestation shall not
relieve school personnel from the obligations created in this
section or Section 1210.163 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
nor shall such failure constitute a defense to criminal liability
arising under Section 1-2-101 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
SECTION 4. 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. S. B. NO. 1733 Page 5
Passed the Senate the 11th day of March, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Representatives the 20th day of April, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
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: _________________________________