Bill > HB1964

This bill expands the Parents' Bill of Rights in Oklahoma, providing parents with increased oversight and control over their children's educational experiences. The legislation allows parents to review all learning materials, school programs, budgets, and contracts, and gives them the right to opt in (rather than opt out) of various academic and non-academic activities, including sex education, social and emotional learning programs, and instruction related to topics like morality, race, gender, and sexuality. Parents can now bring a private legal action against a school if their child suffers harm from a violation of these rights, and schools can be fined $1,000 per violation. The bill broadens the definition of mental health therapy to include a wide range of services and information, requiring parental written consent before any such services can be provided to a minor. Additionally, the bill mandates that schools develop detailed policies for parent involvement, information access, and consent procedures, effectively giving parents more control over their children's educational and potentially sensitive experiences. The new provisions will become effective on November 1, 2025, and apply to various aspects of school programming, from curriculum and extracurricular activities to data collection and counseling services.

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http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=hb1964&Session=2600